Velleius dilatatus

Velleius dilatatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Staphylinidae
Genus: Velleius
Species: V. dilatatus
Binomial name
Velleius dilatatus
(Fabricius, 1787)

The rove beetle Velleius dilatatus lives together with the European hornet Vespa crabro crabro.

Velleius dilatatus is up to 26 mm long. It feeds on detritus produced by the hornets (an example of commensalism). The beetles cannot survive without the hornets themselves, even if there is enough detritus present.

It finds hornet nests by its very good sense of smell. Most nests contain an average of ten V. dilatatus.


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