Diet

• Adults: Primarily feed on pollen, nectar and flower tissues, and are often found on blossoms.

• Larvae: Develop in decaying wood, stems, roots and other plant material, where they feed on decomposing tissues and associated fungi.

• Some larvae develop in living plant stems and may be associated with galls or other plant structures.

Range

• Mordellinae is a large and widespread subfamily of tumbling flower beetles (Mordellidae), occurring throughout much of the world.

• Tropical and subtropical regions support particularly high diversity, and Mexico has a rich Mordellinae fauna.

• Species occur in Guerrero and around Zihuatanejo, where suitable flowering plants and decaying vegetation provide abundant habitat.

• Around Zihuatanejo, tumbling flower beetles are occasional to fairly common, particularly during the rainy season when flowering vegetation is abundant.

Habitat

• Found in tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, woodland, scrub, forest edges, gardens, agricultural areas and secondary vegetation.

• Adults are easiest to find on flowers, especially in sunny clearings and along forest margins.

• Larvae develop concealed within dead wood, decaying stems, roots and other plant material.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 2–15 mm (0.08–0.6 in), depending on species.

• Body usually small, wedge-shaped and somewhat flattened, often tapering sharply toward the tip of the abdomen.

• Colouration is commonly black, brown, reddish-brown or metallic, sometimes with contrasting bands or spots.

• The pointed abdomen and enlarged hind legs are characteristic features.