Necydalis sirexoides is closely related to Necydalis ulmi Chevrolat, 1838 and also both species develop in a very similar way. It means that the larvae feed on a highly fungi-rich substrate present inside hollow living deciduous trees. A paper dealing with larval nutrition and female oviposition preferences of some Necydalis species has appeared recently (Rejzek and Vlasák, 2000[1999]).
The depicted beetle, a female, was reared from a larva collected in a hollow living Carpinus in NE Iran, prov. Khorasan, Golestan forest 45 km NE Minudast.
MH & MR © August 22, 2007
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