Pleasing Fungus Beetles

Pleasing Fungus Beetles eat fungi on dead and downed logs.

Photo by Sally King

Pleasing Fungus Beetles are common within the park especially at higher, wetter elevations. Several species occur here, the most common is blue with black spots. Pleasing fungus beetles feed on fungi and are most commonly found on rotting, downed logs.

 

The larva stage for Pleasing Fungus Beetle usually lasts only a few days.

Photo by Sally King

During some years Pleasing Fungus Beetles are extremely common and found throughout the park in large numbers. In other years, one must seek them out in areas with abundant moisture and rotting vegetative material.

The fungus favored by Pleasing Fungus Beetles is edible to humans but is not frequently consumed in this part of the world. Some of the fungus eaten by the beetles is potentially harmful to the host plant so the beetles could be seen as beneficial.