| Drilus flavescens (Olivier, 1790) |
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Scientific name: Drilus flavescens (Olivier, 1790) Common name: French name: Drile jaunâtre, Drile panaché, Panache jaune. Order: Coleoptera Family: Drilidae Wingspan : 5-9 mm for males, up to 3cm for females which stay with the look of a large larva. Biotope: Low growing vegetation, wooded areas. Geographic area: Western Europe, from Spain and from the British Isles east to Austria, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica. Observation period : April to June |
Drilus flavescens is a Coleoptera which feeds on snails. It shows a very important sexual dimorphism. Males, that emerge in spring, have fawn elytra covered with fine, shiny yellowish hair. All the remaining parts of the body are black. The antennae, which reach the first third of the elytra, are strongly pectinate on articles 4 to 10. Females keep a larval appearance. They are fawn in colour with darker markings at the base on the upper side of segments. The head is small with two short thread-like antennae of 10 articles and small black eyes. The larvae, which hatch from eggs laid in the ground, have a small head with toothed mandibles. The body is covered with stiff reddish-brown hairs. They feed on snails and take shelter in empty shells. The tip of the abdomen is equipped with a kind of suction cup which is used to move the shells. Males of Drilus concolor, found in Southern and Central Europe, are totally black. The larvae are very difficult to differentiate. |
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I observed this larva in my compost tank. The identification of the species is based on the geographical location as Drilus concolor is not listed as present in the Paris area. |
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I am going to inspect empty snail shells now. |
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Here is my second sighting of a larva, when will the first adult be? |
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Another view of the same larva. |
André Bon January 2023