Meligethes matronalis

These were found on their foodplant (Dame's-violet Hesperis matronalis) which helped up my confidence that the ID was correct. Having said that, I have previously swept Meligethes aeneus off Dame's-violet so you can't assume it's matronalis just because it's on matronalis.

male Meligethes matronalis showing its fore tibia, clypeus, pronotum and aedeagus (tegmen and median lobe), Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 26th May 2023

second male Meligethes matronalis showing its fore tibia, clypeus, pronotum, median lobe and tegmen, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 26th May 2023

I caught 10 Meligethes in a single sweep of one Dame's-violet out of many plants. I examined 6 which all had the same general appearance (i.e. colour and pronotum shape) and retained 4. As the first two (above) proved to be males I didn't bother examining the other two (below) in detail.

2x Meligethes matronalis, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 26th May 2023

I had previously included two indivduals from my garden here but having just spent a couple of days examining Meligethes specimens (including more matrionalis which appear further down) I now consider those were incorrectly identified and have removed them from here accordingly. This one, on the other hand, I now feel more confident about. At the time I wasn't able to identify it, but looking back at it I think it must have been matronalis. I've not found Dame's-violet at this site (it was on Red Campion) but Dame's-violet does grow fairly close (I'm aware of a very large patch of it just over a mile away but it very likely grows along the valley closer than that).

male Meligethes matronalis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 15th May 2019

These were taken from a patch of Dame's Violet at a different location within the same project area as the ones at the top of this page.

male Meligethes matronalis showing its fore tibia, clypeus, pronotum (2 views) and aedeagus (tegmen and median lobe), Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 2nd June 2022

second male Meligethes matronalis showing its fore tibia, pronotum and aedeagus (tegmen and median lobe), Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 2nd June 2022

female Meligethes matronalis showing its fore tibia and pronotum (2 views), Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 2nd June 2022

These were on yet another patch of Dame's Violet at a third location within the same project area as the last. Over 20 Meligethes beetles were easily visible (without careful searching) just by looking at the plants and three were retained for examination. These three at least were matronalis (one male and two females). I got the photos mixed up so I'm not sure which of the live photos are the same or which was the male.

4x presumed Meligethes matronalis on foodplant plus 3x confirmed Meligethes matronalis from same plant showing one's fore tibia, one's clypeus and one's aedeagus (2 views), Hoe Rough (Norfolk, UK), 13th May 2024