Xanthandrus comtus

Abdomen segment T2 has round spots and segments T3 and T4 have semi-circular spots tht may join in the middle.  Males are considerably more colourful than females which have darker, greyer markings on the abdomen.

None

It usually occurs in woodland edge (deciduous and coniferous) and scrub where adults are usually found visiting flowers or resting on vegetation in clearings or along tracks.

 Late May to October.

The larvae prey on the caterpillars of various micro-moths.

Although relatively frequent in older collections, this species underwent a period of decline and came to be regarded as a great rarity. It has evidently recovered, as there are numerous recent records at widely scattered localities throughout the southern half of Britain, and it has recently been found in Scotland (Rotheray, 1992). Records remain very erratic, however, and there are few sites where it occurs regularly. This could possibly indicate that this species is a migrant.

Local and scarce in Leicestershire and Rutland.