Kateretidae

Common name:

Short-winged flower beetles

Number of species:

9

Size Range:

1-3mm

Tarsi:

4-4-4. Lobed or not.

Images:

  • Brachypterolus linariae
  • Brachypterus glaber
  • Kateretes pedicularius

Description: 

A small family (9 British species) of small beetles (1.5-4.2mm), Kateretidae was formerly the subfamily Cateretinae within Nitulidae.  Small, dark beetles which feed on buds and flowers as both adults and larvae, they are similar in appearance to the pollen beetles (Nitulidae: Meligethes spp.) but can be separated by the truncate elytra which expose at least one abdominal segment, as well as the pygidium, and by the gradually-expanding antennal club. Kateretes spp. are common and widespread in wetlands where they feed on the flowers of Carex and Juncus spp., while Brachypterus spp. are found on nettles (Urtica spp.) and are widespread.  There are four Brachypterolus spp.: two, B. linariae (Stephens) and B. pulicarius (L.), are widespread in toadflax flowers (Linaria spp.), while B. vestitus (Keisenwetter) and B. antirrhini (Murray) are rare established introductions, occurring on Antirrhinum flowers in southern England