TUMBLING FLOWER BEETLE

any member of the approximately 650 species of the insect family Mordellidae (order Coleoptera). The name derives from the jumping, turning, and tumbling motion of the beetles when disturbed or caught. These black beetles are small, usually between 3 and 7 mm (0.1 to 0.3 inch) in length, and are most often seen on flowers. They are covered with fine hairs and are humpbacked and wedge-shaped, with a broad anterior end tapering to a pointed abdomen that extends beyond the forewings. The larvae live in rotten wood and plant stems and feed on moth or beetle larvae.