Bug FAQRed Malachite Beetle
Anthocomus rufus · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Melyridae
The red malachite beetle is a tiny, sparsely hairy insect about five millimetres long. It has a downward-tilted black head and a pronotum that is wider than long, with blended red and black colours. These beetles are active in sunny, warm daytime and gather in large numbers on reeds where they feed on pollen and dead insects.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The head is black and tilted slightly downward; the pronotum is broader than long with smoothly blended red and black sides.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults are just under five millimetres in length and have sparse hairs.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are diurnal, love sun and warmth, and are often found in large groups on their host reed plants.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They eat pollen from common reeds (Phragmites communis). They also scavenge dead insects, especially those caught by reed spiders.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active during the warm daytime months.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is commonly called the red malachite beetle. It originates from Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
Questions people ask
How big is the red malachite beetle?
It measures just under five millimetres in length.
Source: Wikipedia
What does the red malachite beetle look like?
It has a black head tilted slightly downward and a pronotum wider than long with blended red and black colours.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find red malachite beetles?
They are active in sunny, warm daytime and gather in large numbers on reed plants in Europe.
Source: Wikipedia
What do red malachite beetles eat?
They feed on reed pollen and also consume dead insects, especially those caught by reed spiders.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Melyridae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthocomus_rufus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.