With their bright red elytra, the fire beetles that live on the edges of forests, in dead wood and sometimes in the garden are immediately noticeable. In view of the little crawlers, many hobby gardeners fear for their lovingly cared for ornamental plants. But what do the animals actually feed on?
What do fire beetles eat?
Theadult beetles, which are only active during the summer months, feed onsweet juices,for example nectar or honeydew. Thelarvaethat live under the bark of dead wood eat the caterpillars ofpest insects such as the bark beetle, but also the sludge riddled with fungi.
Do the beetles damage their food plants?
Since the fire beetlesno budsorprick leaves,to get food,damagethey the plantsnot.
- The fire beetles suck tree juices from open wounds that they discover when crawling over the wood.
- To get nectar, they sit on flowers.
- Because they eat the sticky excretions of aphids (honeydew), they ensure that fungi cannot colonize so easily.
Do fire beetle larvae damage the wood when they eat?
The fire beetle and itslarvaedo not damage the wood, butare considered beneficial insects.
The fire beetle caterpillars not only eat the fungus-infused sludge, but also the larvae of pests. The small animals target, among other things, bark beetle caterpillars. When food is scarce, cannibalism can occur.
Tip
Attracting firebugs to the garden
Because it eats bark beetle larvae and fungi, the fire beetle is extremely useful. If you want to let the fire beetle settle in your garden, you should pile up your pile of dead wood in a secluded corner. Here the little cardinals find an ideal place to lay their eggs and a protected hiding place.
