WildBristol.uk - Discovering Wildlife in Bristol

Widespread and fairly common in the South mainly around coasts, very scattered further North. Habitat includes: Flower-rich places with free-draining, light, sandy soils such as coasts, chalk / limestone downland, wasteland, meadows, gardens etc. Diet: Adults = Nectar and pollen from open flowers such as Ox-eye Daisies, Umbellifers etc., Larvae = decaying plant matter, leaf litter, turf. Flight period: May to August. Length: 7 – 10 mm. ID: Very similar to the much rarer Lagria atripes which is bigger (10 - 12 mm as opposed to 7 - 10 mm), has a Pronotum with a longitudinal smooth and glabrous area on the disc (L. hirta = Pronotum entirely strongly and closely punctured), central impression deepened anteriorly (L. hirta = central impression shallow throughout), Scutellum is black / nearly so and larger than in hirta (which has a small Scutellum and is only a little darker than the elytra). Elytral pubescence forming a feathered pattern, eyes are larger and more deeply incised (L. hirta = Elytral pubescence uniform, eyes smaller and less deeply incised).

My notes:

It apparently likes to play dead when disturbed.