The Tumbling Flower Beetles (207 NA spp) are found on the heads of flowers
especially New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) and Water Hemlock
(Cicuta maculata). Larvae are stem-borers. These small wedge-shaped
critters are abundant and taxonomically confusing. Most diverse is the
genus
Mordellistena
(12+spp--aspera, bipustulata,
decorella,
splendens,
aequalis,
biplagiata,
limbalis,
nigricans,
ornata,
fulvicollis,
trifasciata????).
Common and larger black species in the genus
Mordella
(3+spp--melaena,
octomaculata) occur at a wide
range of flowers, perhaps most frequently on the Rosaceae. The brown
Anaspis flavipennis has also been collected.
