Trichodes ornatus

Ornate Checkered Beetle

Introduction:

The ornate checkered beetle is a strikingly colorful predatory beetle vital to desert ecosystems, frequently seen foraging on yellow composite flowers while its larvae develop inside the nests of solitary bees and wasps.
Life Cycle:

Size 0.25 to 0.55 in (0.6 to 1.4 cm)
Sexual Dimorphism:
Metamorphosis: complete (egg, larva, pupa, adult)

Insect Data

Names and Taxonomy

Common Names: Ornate Checkered Beetle, Yellow-bellied Bee Beetle
Synonyms:
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Checkered Beetles (Cleridae)
Genus Information: Number of Species 4 in CA, 3 in NV, 2 in AZ, 2 in UT, 6 in TX, 10 in US

Distribution

Distribution: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY
Seen:
Habitat: Desert shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, montane meadows, riparian zones
Food: Pollen, nectar, small soft-bodied insects, larvae of solitary bees and wasps

Photographs

Ornate Checkered Beetle (Trichodes ornatus)

Vocabulary and Reference Material

Plant anatomy can help classify species, especilly if you know the terms to enter in the search engine.

Mojave vegetation biomes

Bird Markings are often colorful and one way to identify species.

Get in touch

I am usually out hiking, birding or traveling but you can reach me at:

buzardweb@gmail.com