Featured speciesText © K. Reißmann, T. Hörren, M. Stern, F. Bötzl and C. Benisch
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02.06.2023
Atholus bimaculatus (L., 1758)
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The 3.5 to 6 mm large clown beetle Atholus bimaculatus (family Histeridae) is one of the four representatives of the genus in Germany. Worldwide the genus comprises over 70 species. Today Atholus bimaculatus is almost cosmopolitan. Originally from the Palaearctic region, the species is now widespread throughout the Nearctic and there are also records from the Afrotropical and Neotropical region. The eurytopic, stercoricolous species lives in fields, gardens, ruderal sites and in stables. The beetles and their larvae are found in feces, manure and compost heaps, on decaying plant matter. They are also reported from bird nests. The beetles are predators and feed on eggs and larvae of various dipterans. In Germany, the species is known to occur in all Federal States and is everywhere common. (CB)
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