Beetle of fourteen points

Acmaeodera degener

The beetle of fourteen points (Acmaeodera degener) belongs to Buprestidae family. It’s a typical member of this family of beetles with fusiform, compact body, sometimes wearing showy colors. Amongst them, the beetle of fourteen points is certainly a nice one, after its set of usually more than fourteen yellow tops on the black body. The adults are found on flowers near to the oak forests. They are found either on the inflorescences of Compositae plants that they directly eat -as the slender sowthistle (Sonchus tenerrimus) in 1st picture- or on flowers plenty of polen -as the white rockrose (Cistus albidus), as seen in 3rd and 4th pictures.

The larvae attack oak woods. Therefore, forestry fears about it.

[photos Jordi Badia]