Raspberry Beetle - Byturus tomentosus

Length: 3.2 to 4 mm. This small beetle has a chestnut-red or golden appearance, with legs and antennae all of similar colour.

Byturus tormentosus and B. ochraceous are very similar but can be distinguished by careful viewing.

B. tormentosus is slightly smaller (up to 4mm), has smaller eyes and has elytra that taper outwards slightly towards the base. It is also lighter brown. B. ochraceous is a little larger (up to 5mm), a shade darker, with larger eyes and elytra that are generally parallel-sided. The elytral margins are also different: tormentosus has a narrow margin visible along most of the base whereas the margin in ochraceous is obscured by the humeral bulge of the elytra.

A helpful comparison can be found on the WCG website.

• the largest diameter of the eye is less than half the width of the frons (space between the eyes)

Though the beetle larvae are pests for Raspberry growers, adults can be found feeding on pollen on a variety of wildflowers. The small adults often congregate within flowers, particularly composites such as Dandelion.

May to July.

It lays its eggs on the flowers of Raspberries, Blackberries and Loganberries. When the larvae hatch they eat the developing fruit.

Common in England and Wales, less so further north.

Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 74 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.