Hycleus polymorphus Insect Coleopter Blister Beetle Meloidae

Hycleus polymorphus cm 1.1-2 Insect Coleopter Blister Beetle Meloidae.
Family: Meloidae.

Hycleus polymorphus is a species of beetle belonging to the Meloidae family, subfamily Meloinae. These beetles are present in most of Europe, in the Near East and in the Eastern Palearctic Ecological Area.
They have an elongated body and are black with yellow-orange stripes and spots on the elytra. They have very different colored patterns (hence the Latin word polymorphus).
The adults grow up to 11-20 mm in length and can be met on the flowers from July to August, mainly feeding on species Asteraceae and Fabaceae.
The larval stage of these insects is quite complex, as they are characterized by hypermetamorphosis, a kind of complete metamorphosis of insects in which, in addition to the normal stages of larva, nymph and imago, they have many others, with great differences in appearance and way to live.
The female of Hycleus polymorphus lays its eggs in the ground. The larvae of the first phase move to find a hopper cave, since these beetles are predators of Acrididae eggs, being a natural control agent. A new cycle of metamorphosis begins in the eggs of their victims.