Pill Beetle
Byrrhus pilula
This record describes Byrrhus pilula (species). Recorded family: Byrrhidae. Recorded order: Coleoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This is an all brown pill beetle with inconspicuous rows of dark and light brown markings on the elytra. The name Pill Beetle stems from the ability to retract all appendages into grooves underneath the body, feigning death in this manner and resembling a rabbit dropping They live among grasses and mosses and are very slow moving. Believed to feed on mosses, as larvae and adults. Widespread in Britain, but probably overlooked at times.
Wikipedia reference for Byrrhus pilula: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byrrhus_pilula.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Coleoptera (Beetles)
- Suborder
- Polyphaga
- Superfamily
- Byrrhoidea
- Family
- Byrrhidae (Pill Beetles)
- Subfamily
- Byrrhinae
- Tribe
- Byrrhini
- Genus
- Byrrhus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
They live among grasses and mosses and are very slow moving.
Seasonal Activity
All year round.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Believed to feed on mosses, as larvae and adults.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widespread in Britain, but probably overlooked at times.
About Primitive Winged Insects: the wider group
Order-level background for Coleoptera, the group containing Byrrhus pilula. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Coleoptera is the largest order of insects with over 400,000 described species, representing ~25% of all known animal species and ~40% of all insects. In the U.S. alone, nearly 30,000 beetle species have been identified.
Ecological role of the group
Beetles are prominent decomposers, especially in forests, breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients. As predators, they reduce populations of pest insects. Many species are also important pollinators of flowering plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Beetles have major economic significance: leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) and weevils (Curculionoidea) are among the most destructive agricultural pests globally, costing billions annually, while predatory species like ladybugs provide natural pest control.
Recorded sources for this group: Britannica, Smithsonian, NCSU Entomology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Pill Beetle (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Pill Beetle
What is Pill Beetle?
Pill Beetle (Byrrhus pilula) is a species in the family Byrrhidae, within the order Coleoptera.
Where is Pill Beetle found?
Habitat: They live among grasses and mosses and are very slow moving.
When is Pill Beetle active?
Pill Beetle: seasonal activity - All year round..
What is the life cycle of a Pill Beetle?
Believed to feed on mosses, as larvae and adults.