Baranowskiella ehnstromi is the smallest known beetle in Europe.[1] It lives only in the pores of the bracket fungus Phellinus conchatus, which grows on Salix caprea, and Phellinus punctatus, which grows on various deciduous trees.[1] Its length is ca. 0.45mm0.55mm and its width about 0.1mm.[2]
The beetle has been observed in Sweden, Finland, Austria, Norway,[1] and the Czech Republic.[3] It was first described, along with the whole genus Baranowskiella, in 1997 by Ptiliidae specialist Mikael Sörensson and named after entomologists Rickard Baranowski and Bengt Ehnström. The beetle has a simple sound producing organ. It can fly and its diet consists of fungi spores.