Silky pretender [1] , or spider pretend [2] ( lat. Niptus hololeucus ) is a species of coleoptera of the pretend family.
| Silky pretense |
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| Scientific classification |
|---|
| No rank : | Bilateral symmetric |
| Hoard : | Insects with full transformation |
| Suborder : | Polyphagous beetles |
| Infrastructure : | Bostrichiform |
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| International Scientific Name |
|---|
Niptus hololeucus ( Faldermann , 1836) |
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The beetle is from 2.6 to 4.6 mm long, with spherical elytra covered with yellow hairs. The lower wings are missing, so the beetle can not fly.
The homeland of the species is Asia Minor, but nowadays it is spread all over the world thanks to man.
The beetle lives in old, damp houses under the floor or in the walls. Active at night. It feeds on organic material: textiles, feathers, fur, bones, manure, dead insects, leather, paper, and even cobwebs. Adult beetles can go without food for a long time.
The female lays about 100 white eggs. 1.5 mm long hatched larvae feed on plant (grain, flour, herbal tea) or animal material. Pupation occurs in a whitish cocoon for 18 days. The full development cycle from egg to imago lasts 4 months.
