Neatus picipes (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) collected from nest sediments of the White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus (Apodiformes: Apodidae), with feeding experiment of the beetle’s larva

Abstract

Larvae and adults of Neatus picipes (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) were collected from nest sediments of the White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus (Apodiformes: Apodidae) in Hokkaido, Japan. This study was the first record of N. picipes from nest sediments of H. caudacutus. This confirms that N. picipes, which is considered a food pest, inhabits bird nest boxes in Japan. We carried out feeding experiments in the laboratory with larvae of N. picipes. However, it was not possible to determine what the larvae feed on in the nest sediments. The larvae of N. picipes could not be reared by feeding individually on woodchips and insect carcasses contained in the nest sediments of H. caudacutus.