Family: Erotylidae
Subfamily: Languriinae
Length: 6-12 mm
Until recently the Lizard Beetles were in their own family, Languriidae. They are now included with the Pleasing Fungus Beetles, Erotylidae.
Lizard Beetles are elongate, slender beetles, colored black and red or dark blue and red. Their eyes are hemispherical and their antennae are clubbed, sometimes modestly so.
The species pictured here, Acropteroxys gracilis, overwinters in the stems of herbaceous plants such as Joe-Pye Weed, Common Boneset, and Common Sneezeweed. In the warmer months adults visit the flowers of clovers, wild roses, and New Jersey Tea, among others.
The markings shown are typical for this species, but note that occasionally the pronotum may lack any marking, and be either all-dark or all-reddish.
Insects of West Virginia
