Phloeodes plicatus 

Size: 11-22 mm          

Seasonality: Most common between March and July. Least common in September and December.

Distribution; Coastal California, sparsely distributed throughout Southeastern California

Information: Inhabits moist Quercus and Pinus forests along California's coast and northern Sierran mountains. Commonly encountered crossing trails during the day in search of mates or food. Their diet consists of various fungi such as shelf fungus and crust fungus. They can also easily be found under logs or bark in any place where fungus can easily grow.

Description: Body; elongate, oblong; quadrate; usually dark grey or tan; appendages dark grey. Tarsal formula: 5-5-4. Antennae dark grey; clavate; 10 segmented with a 2 segment club. Dorsal surface with many pits and tubercles. Pronotal tubercules start coarse at the lateral margins and become sparse at the center of the pronotal disk.  In some specimens a small tan streak can be seen at the pronotal base extending 1 mm parallel with the medial suture towards the head. Elytra with many raised portions, various assorted tubercles and many small punctures. Elytral epleura straight and parallel ending in a right angle near the apex of the elytra. Ventral surface fairly plane but with a couple small, rounded tubercles, especially on the prosternum.

Collection Notes:

Has been collected from

• Under Platanus bark

• Under Quercus agrifolia logs

• Under Eucalyptus logs

• Under Pinus radiata logs