Jan 26, 2022
#1791 - Brachypelpus sp.
ID by Andras Szito,.
One of two beetles found trapped inside a bag of bread rolls at the December meeting of the Western Australian Insect Studies Society - this beetle, from the Nitidulid family (AKA Sap Beetles) is frequently found on flowers, and the larvae may infest badly neglected honeybee hives, like the related Small Hive Beetle Aethina tumida.
Remarkavbly strecthy beetles, when I had them pinned under the plastic so I could get photos for ID. What they were doing in the bread bag is a bit of a mystery, unless they were attracted by the yeast byproducts in the bread. Although the family does include the Picnic Beetle, Glischrochilus sp., which is a nuisance in North America and Eurasia.