Bug FAQAntherophagus ochraceus
Antherophagus ochraceus · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Cryptophagidae
Antherophagus ochraceus is a relatively large beetle, about 4-5 mm long, with an entirely yellow body covered in golden hairs, small eyes and a smooth, curved pronotum. Adults live on flowers from May through September, where they feed on pollen and nectar and are often found alongside bumblebees. Females lay eggs inside bumblebee nests; the larvae develop there, feeding on honey, bee feces and nest debris.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It can be told apart from similar beetles by its larger size, fully yellow coloration, golden fuzz, tiny eyes and a smooth, curved pronotum.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure about 4 to 5 mm in length, making it one of the biggest species in its family.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adult beetles feed on pollen and nectar from flowers. Larvae live in bumblebee nests and consume honey, bee feces and nest debris.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Females lay eggs inside bumblebee nests, where the eggs hatch into larvae. Larvae stay in the nest and feed on organic matter and detritus.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from May through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It occurs in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 24 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Minnesota.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where can I find Antherophagus ochraceus?
You’ll see them on flowers from May to September, often near bumblebees.
Source: Wikipedia
What do adult Antherophagus ochraceus eat?
Adults feed on pollen and nectar from flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
How do Antherophagus ochraceus reproduce?
Females lay eggs inside bumblebee nests; the larvae develop there, feeding on nest debris.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell Antherophagus ochraceus apart from similar beetles?
Look for its larger size, completely yellow body, golden hairs, tiny eyes and a smooth, curved pronotum.
Source: Wikipedia
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antherophagus_ochraceus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.