Description
Trichodes ornatus, Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming
Date 16 October 2012, 21:49
Source Trichodes ornatus, U, back, Fossil Butte NM, Wyoming_2012-10-16-15.20
Author USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory from Beltsville, USA http://www.flickr.com/people/54563451@N08
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trichodes_ornatus,_U,_back,_Fossil_Butte_NM,_Wyoming_2012-10-16-15.20_(8095655020).jpg

Trichodes ornatus, commonly known as Ornate Checkered Beetle, is a beetle species of checkered beetles belonging to the family Cleridae, subfamily Clerinae which can be found only in North America. Larvae live in bee nests of mostly Megachilidae family species and are parasitic. While in the nest they feed on the bees' larvae or pollen. When they mature into an adult they begin feeding on yarrow, milkweed, and other plants of yellow colouration. The species males are 5–11 millimetres long while females are 7–15 millimetres.
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Cleridae
Genus: Trichodes
Species: Trichodes ornatus (Linsley & MacSwain, 1943)