About Agapanthia cardui (Linnaeus, 1767)
Adults of Agapanthia cardui reach a length of 6–14 millimeters, which is 0.24–0.55 inches. Adults can be found from April through July each year, and this species completes its full life cycle in one year. This beetle is distributed across most of Europe, the Near East, and the eastern Palearctic realm. In 2010, it was recorded as present in 24 European countries. It has since expanded its range into the United Kingdom, with the first specimens recorded from East Kent in May 2018. Agapanthia cardui is a polyphagous species that lives on herbaceous plants. It feeds mainly on Carduus nutans, the species that its specific name references, and Silybum marianum. It also feeds on species from the genera Salvia, Urtica, and Cirsium.
