This guide will introduce you to some of the most common and interesting beetles found in the UK. You will learn about their appearance, habitat, diet, and behaviour. You will also find out about the threats facing beetles and what you can do to help them.<\/p>
So, whether you are a seasoned naturalist or simply curious about these fascinating creatures, this expert guide by entomologist and author Richard Jones, is for you.<\/p>
Learn more about fascinating British species such as butterflies<\/a>, bees<\/a> and dragonflies<\/a>. We’ve also gathered our favourite insect identification books<\/a> which are handy to use when you’re in the field.<\/p> With over 4,000 species in the British Isles, many of which are very small, beetles are often portrayed as being a \u2018difficult\u2019 group, the preserve of experts. However, there are plenty of beetle species that are either large, brightly coloured or easy to identify in the field or from photos, such as ladybirds, stag beetles, and longhorn beetles.<\/p> Around 40% of the UK’s insects species are beetles. Around 1,000 of these live in woodlands<\/a> and forests, and around 2,000 can be found in London \u2013 including the incredible stag beetle, which is the largest beetle in Britain. And did you know the world\u2019s largest beetle<\/a> measures over 15cm in length?<\/p> Confirmations can always be sought at the ‘I spot nature<\/a>‘ identification site where your uploaded photos (of beetles, and indeed any organism) are regularly checked by experts and enthusiasts. You can also download the ‘Seek’ app from iNaturalist to identify plants and insects for free.<\/p> More beetlemania<\/strong><\/p> Beetles (scientific name Coleoptera, meaning ‘sheath-wing’ in Greek) are an insect with two pairs of wings: one hardened outer set called an ‘elytra’ (like a ‘shell’), which protects the more delicate flight <\/a>wings housed underneath. They have three main sections to their bodies \u2013 a head, thorax and abdomen; six jointed legs; an exoskeleton and a pair of antennae.<\/p> British beetle species have a varied diet.<\/a> Some species, such as the lesser stag beetle like to eat rotting wood, while the orange and black sexton beetle, favour decaying animals to lay their larvae.<\/p> Meanwhile, the dor beetle eats faeces from animals. Many other species prefer the pollen and nectar<\/a> from plants.<\/p> Discover more fascinating insect facts<\/strong><\/p> With long legs and sharp jaws, this fearsome predator takes short flying leaps to attack prey or escape. It is very active on patches of sparsely vegetated or bare sandy or chalky soil.<\/p>How many beetle species are there in the UK?<\/h2>
What are beetles?<\/h2>
What do beetles eat?<\/h2>
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<\/figure><\/div><\/div>How to identify British beetle species<\/h2>
Green tiger beetle (Cicindela campestris<\/em>)<\/h3>
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Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha<\/em>)<\/h3>
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