Sitaris muralis

Sitaris muralis is a species of blister beetle in the subfamily Nemognathinae in the family Meloidae.

Sitaris muralis is found in Western Europe where its range includes the British Isles, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and Italy,[1] It appears to be an eastern Palaearctic species and is very rare in southern England, where it is on the northwestern fringe of its range.

The adult beetle is found in the vicinity of the nests of the digger bees it parasitises, typically in steep loess slopes or in old, sun-warmed walls of houses and in gravel infill under their balconies.

In September, the female beetle lays a batch of two thousand or more eggs in the vicinity of galleries and chambers formed by the host bee for rearing its own offspring.

She hollows out chambers in walls and cliffs, provisioning each with nectar, and laying an egg in each, which floats like a raft on the surface of the honey.