Athous bicolor

Athous bicolor is a species of click beetle.

Athous bicolor
Athous bicolor, male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Elateriformia
Family:	Elateridae
Genus:	Athous
Species:	A. bicolor
Binomial name
Athous bicolor (Goeze, 1777)
Synonyms
Athous longicollis (Olivier, 1790) Elater longicollis Olivier, 1790 Elater bicolor Goeze, 1777 [1]

Description

Athous bicolor can reach a length of 8–10 millimetres (0.31–0.39 in). Body is quite elongated, with a fine pale pubescence, long mid-brown antennae and evident longitudinal ridges and small pits on the elytra. In males the pronotum is much longer than wide, while in the females it is slightly longer than wide and slightly laterally rounded. The elytra are ochre/yellow with dark sutural band, while head and pronotum are dark brown. The hind angles of the pronotum are olive.^[2][3][4]

Distribution

This species is widespread in most of Europe, from Russia through South and Central Europe to the Iberian Peninsula.^[5]

Biology

Oviposition takes place from the late Spring to early Summer. The yellowish-brown larvae develop underground and feed on the roots of many grass species. Adults can be found from June to August. These beetles hibernate as imago.^[2]

Habitat

Athous bicolor lives in grasslands and in areas with low vegetation and herbaceous plants.