This family of beetles, known as the Melyridae, are commonly called soft-winged flower beetles. Around twenty species are found in the United Kingdom, with roughly 1,600 species described worldwide. These beetles are typically small to medium-sized and often display bright, metallic, or vividly contrasting colors. Many species possess orange or reddish markings along the sides of the abdomen, and most are covered in fine, bristly hairs that give them a slightly velvety appearance.

The larvae of Melyridae are predatory, living mostly in decaying wood or beneath bark, where they hunt other small invertebrates. In contrast, the adults are usually found on flowers, feeding on pollen and nectar, although some also prey on smaller insects visiting the same blooms. Their association with flowers makes them important components of many ecosystems, contributing both to pollination and to the regulation of insect populations. Despite their delicate appearance, soft-winged flower beetles are active, agile, and often abundant in warm, sunny habitats such as meadows, woodland edges, and hedgerows.