Close-up macro photo of a beetle, likely Pedilus terminalis from the Pyrochroidae family, crawling across reddish-brown wood. The beetle has a textured black body, bright reddish-orange thorax, and black head with prominent segmented antennae. Its front legs and mandibles are interacting with a small mass of debris, possibly fungus or decaying organic matter, located next to a rusty nail embedded in the wood. The surface is rough and grainy, dotted with soil and fine particles, suggesting moisture and decay
Macro photo of the same beetle viewed from above, showing its deep black elytra with fine texture, bright red thorax, and long, jointed antennae. The beetle stands on a smooth, reddish wood surface speckled with fine dust and grit. The tip of a nail is faintly visible in the background. The beetle’s leg hairs and subtle iridescence on its exoskeleton are sharply focused.
Very likely Pedilus terminalis. #Pyrochroidae beetles like this are still a bit of a mystery biologically. This one showed up after rain, feeding on something near a nail jutting from an old wood plank. Always a treat to spot one alive.
🪲🪳 #Invert #macrophotography #coleoptera 🌿
