Malachius bipustulatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Malachite Beetle)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesMalachius bipustulatus (Malachite Beetle)
GenusMalachius (a genus of malachite beetles)
SubfamilyMALACHIINAE (a subfamily of beetles)
FamilyMELYRIDAE (malachite beetles)
SuperfamilyCLEROIDEA (a superfamily of beetles)
Series Cucujiformia (a group of beetles)
SuborderPOLYPHAGA (mainly terrestrial beetles)
OrderCOLEOPTERA (beetles)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Malachius bipustulatus (Malachite Beetle) :
1: Malachius bipustulatus (Malachite Beetle)
30 Apr 2011 OSGR: SU67 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Male
Image 1: Male - dorsal view - highly enlarged
2: Malachius bipustulatus (Malachite Beetle)
29 May 2004 OSGR: SO71 51° 50’ N, 2° 20’ W Vice County: West Glos (VC 34) England
At Hogweed flower
Image 1: Dorsal view - enlargedImage 2: Dorsal view - enlarged (2)Image 3: Dorsal view - enlarged (3)Image 4: Lateral - enlarged
3: Malachius bipustulatus (Malachite Beetle)
29 May 2004 OSGR: SO71 51° 50’ N, 2° 20’ W Vice County: West Glos (VC 34) England
visiting Hogweed
Image 1: Dorsal viewImage 2: Dorsal view (2)Image 3: Latero-dorsal viewImage 4: Dorsal view - enlargedImage 5: Lateral view - enlargedImage 6: Postero-dorsal view - wings opening - enlargedImage 7: Rear three-quarter view - enlargedImage 8: Rear three-quarter view - enlarged (2)
4: Malachius bipustulatus (Malachite Beetle)
5 Jun 1975 OSGR: SU76 51° 20’ N, 0° 50’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: Dorsal view - enlargedImage 2: Lateral view - enlarged

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Hodges, D. & Murray, D. WCG - website of the Watford Coleoptera Group thewcg.org.uk/

Malachius bipustulatus (Malachite Beetle) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Malachius bipustulatus (Malachite Beetle)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 0 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Malachius bipustulatus (Malachite Beetle)

A common metallic green beetle with red tips to the elytra.

Possibly mimics the Green Bottle (Lucilia caesar) with the red tips of the elytra resembing the fly’s eyes - at least I mistook a Green Bottle for this species at first glance on 31/7/06.

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