Elateroides dermestoides

Appearance

The species somewhat resembles a Cantharidae, but the antennae are much shorter, slightly serate in females and strongly in males. The females are entirely orange-brown, the males have the head, pronotum and tip of the elytra black.

Naming

Originally described as Cantharis dermestoides by Linnaeus in 1761. Later it was taken as type species for the genus Elateroides by J. C. Schaeffer in 1777 and also for the genus Hylecoetus by Latreille in 1806. The latter genus name has been in prevailing usage for a long time, but Schaeffer's Elateroides was defined much earlier, so it has precedence.

Behavior

The wood boring mostly occurs in the larval stage, as the larvae bore into living and decaying wood to create conditions favourable for the fungi that are used as primary food.