Tachyporus hypnorum

Description

3 - 4 mm. Black with red elytra (wing cases) and a yellow patches on the hind corners of the otherwise black and glossy pronotum. Abdominal tergites have pale yellow hind margins.

Identification difficulty
ID checklist (your specimen should have all of these features)
  • 3-4mm
  • black head
  • black pronotum with side margins
  • pronotum smooth and glossy (no microsculpture)
  • tergites black with pale yellow hind margins
  • maxillary palps pale yellow
Habitat

In plant litter, moss, under leaf rosettes, or amongst soil crumbs on the soil surface.

When to see it

All year round.

Life History

It is a useful predator of other small invertebrates in the garden or in agriculture, feeding especially on aphids.

UK Status

Common and widespread in Britain.

VC55 Status

Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 449 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
insect - beetle (Coleoptera)
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Staphylinidae
Records on NatureSpot:
52
First record:
30/09/1987 (Derek Lott)
Last record:
22/03/2026 (Poole, Adam)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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