Mecostethus parapleurus (Hagenbach, 1822)

Nutrition:
The species feeds on grasses, presumably also on herbs.

Habitat:
Mecostethus parapleurus inhabits wetlands such as warm fens at lake shores. It occurs only at low altitudes. Drier habitats (microclimate) are colonized only in humid macroclimates such as in the Insubric region (Ticino).

Life cycle:
Imagines are observed mainly from early July until October.

Endangerment: strongly endangered

Endangerment factors:
In Germany Mecostethus parapleurus ocurrs only very locally in some lake-near wetlands such as in the few remnants along Lake Constance (e.g. Eriskircher Ried) or Chiemsee and in the Rhine Valley. In northwestern Switzerland, Mecostethus parapleurus is more widespread. It is threatened by the destruction of wet meadows due to dewatering, agricultural intensification or afforestation and bush encroachment.

Remarks:
Mecostethus parapleurus occurs from the Pyrenees across parts of central and south-Eastern Europe and Asia to Japan.