Bug FAQOblique Polypore Fungus Beetle
Penthe obliquata · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Tetratomidae
The Oblique Polypore Fungus Beetle is a small, dark beetle about 11 to 14 mm long with a bright orange scutellum that sets it apart from its only North American cousin. It lives in North America’s eastern and mid-western United States and Canada, hiding under loose bark of decaying trees or in dry polypore fungi in a variety of forest types.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is mostly dark but has a vivid orange scutellum, which helps tell it apart from the similar Penthe pimelia.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure between 11 and 14 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs in many forest habitats, including mature hardwood, floodplain, swamp, and pine forests. You’ll find it under loose bark of decaying trees or in dry polypore fungi.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It feeds on several polypore fungi such as Polyporus versicolor, Polyporus varius, and Fomitopsis pinicola.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Population levels are thought to be secure, though many parts of its range lack a formal status rank.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to North America. Its range covers the eastern and mid-western United States and Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
The only close North American relative is Penthe pimelia, which lacks the bright orange scutellum.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 30 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Connecticut.
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
How can I recognize this beetle?
Look for a dark beetle about a centimeter long with a bright orange scutellum on its back.
Source: Wikipedia
Where might I find an Oblique Polypore Fungus Beetle?
They hide under loose bark of dead trees or in dry polypore fungi in hardwood, floodplain, swamp, or pine forests.
Source: Wikipedia
What does this beetle eat?
It feeds on fleshy polypore fungi such as Polyporus versicolor, Polyporus varius, and Fomitopsis pinicola.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tetratomidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penthe_obliquata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.