There are two colour varieties - one has an entirely yellow background, the other is white at the front. Read more advice about what to do if you find a bird that needs help. And you can help. Â, We are a charity and we rely on your support. Adults feed on cow parsley, nettles and hogweed, while the larvae live and feed on plants like thistles. The larvae live in hollow plant stems. Flightless, it likes hedge bottoms, log piles, rockeries, damp areas of rough grass. Listen to the latest episodes from our country podcast, British beetle guide: where to see and how to identify, Guide to Britain’s moths: species, identification and why they are important, Learn how to identify pond wildlife, on the, Garden pond guide: how to look after your pond and wildlife to spot, Guide to British trees: how to identify common tree species and where to find, Garden bird guide: how to care for birds and what to feed different species, Learn how to identify longhorn beetles, on the, Learn about stag beetles in this guide on the, Learn how street lights interfere with glow worm courtship, on the, Celebrating 20 years of the RSPB’s Hope Farm in Cambridgeshire. This distinctive beetle has a black and orange patterning on its wing cases. Sometimes in damp outhouses. Rounded thorax and wing-cases are metallic blue in sunlight; chestnut legs and broad, flat, reddish jaws. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. Adults are 10-15mm long. © Lairich Rig (CC BY-SA 2.0) via geograph. It has a hairy body, orange fan-like antennae and eats roots. It can also dive to catch prey. Rove beetle (Philonthus politus) Rove beetle (Philonthus politus) illustration. Here are 17 of the most beautiful and standout UK beetles: The rose chafer is iridescent golden-green and around 20mm long © Chrumps (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons. Slim, shining and with both black- and red-legged colour forms, this is one of our commonest ground beetles. For example: Larvae feed in dead wood; adults are often seen in sunshine running on stacked logs, or buzzing over bramble flowers. Watch the video to find out more. The acorn weevil's most striking feature is its long snout, called a rostrum. Violet ground beetle (Carabus problematicus) ©Margaret Holland, Stepping inside a wood is like stepping outside of time. Even discounting pest species such as biscuit, furniture and carpet beetles that have found a niche for themselves in our homes, some beetles can thrive in urban areas. 'Typically you will find different families of beetles feeding on: dung, fungi, detritus, other insects, other animals (such as decaying corpses), pollen, sap, plants, seeds and fruits. These cottage-garden favourites bear spherical flowerheads with star-shaped blooms atop sturdy, upright stems from May-June. Some gardeners consider it a pest as the larvae and adults nibble a bit off rosemary or lavender leaves, but others appreciate it as a beautiful addition to their gardens. They use these to defend their nest and compete for females. You may also find them on individual oak trees in hedgerows, parks and gardens. Meanwhile carrion beetles decompose organic matter like dead bodies. Also called the unicorn beetle, the rhinoceros beetle (Xyloryctes jamaicensis) is a large black or dark brown harmless beetle. Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015, Leicestershire Amphibian & Reptile Network, Market Bosworth & District Natural History Society, Natural History Section, Leicester Literary & Philosophical Society, Leicestershire & Rutland Swift Partnership. You can see it in places like Wimbledon Common and Brompton Cemetery in London, and even on flowering trees in gardens and along streets. This beetle may look like a ladybird with its red and black markings, but it is not. Try 3 issues of BBC Countryfile Magazine for just £5! A large (15-20 mm) shiny black ground beetle with either all black legs or wine-red legs (variety concinnus). Rosemary Leaf Beetle Soldier Beetle Stag Beetle Summer Chafer Varied Carpet Beetle Violet Ground Beetle Wasp Beetle Woodworm Beetle Related Pages Strange But … It is named for its papal colour scheme, which warns predators not to eat it as it contains poisons (harmless to pick up). © Lisa Hendry. In fact, it can detect the scent of rotting flesh a mile away. Plenty are easy to identify. Length 8-10 mm. Our future depends on nature, but we are not doing enough to protect our life support system. Â, British wildlife is under threat. British beetle species have a varied diet. Male minotaur beetles have three unmistakable bull-like horns. The larvae have them too, clamping them shut on any passing prey that strays too close to their burrow. Here it hunts small creatures that fall onto the water. Already have an account with us? It can be seen nectar-feeding on the aromatic flowers of carrot, celery and parsley in the summer months. Britain’s largest rove beetle is a gothic monstrosity found under logs and stones. Acorn weevils are just 4-8mm long and have a brownish pattern on their bodies © Bernard Dupont (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr. The larvae that hatch are reddish-brown with black heads but tend to be hidden under their own black excrement, known as frass. The larvae have a scorpion-like appearance and live underwater for two years before transforming into the adult beetle. Confirmations can always be sought at the ‘I spot nature‘ identification site where your uploaded photos (of beetles, and indeed any organism) are regularly checked by experts and enthusiasts. There are around 50 species of ladybird in the UK and only three are yellow, including the 22-spot ladybird. Usually a nocturnal predator, it also nibbles strawberries. The wasp beetle is black and yellow like its namesake, and up to 16mm long © gailhampshire (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr. We use cookies to make your online experience sweeter. The beetle’s name comes from its defence Around 40% of the UK’s insects species are beetles. One day I will write one! Adults can reach 7cm in length. © Simon A Eugster (CC BY 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons. You must be over the age of 13. It is very variable in appearance. It is 8mm long. Image: pxfuel (CC0 1.0). Discover the bioluminescent beetles putting on night-time light shows in Britain. By entering your details, you are agreeing to Countryfile.com terms and conditions & privacy policy. The males with the biggest antlers invariably win.' The reserve has seen more than thirty species of wading birds. It was very rare 20 years ago but is now spreading and easy to spot. Threateningly rears up its tail, scorpion-like, for defence; no sting, but exudes smelly liquid from tail tip. Its short wing cases allow flexibility for crawling in tight spaces. The adults are harmless and feed on grapevines, generally causing very little damage, and are not considered a pest. Following the floods this winter, watch how one area is using nature as a natural protector. A thick-legged flower beetle on a buttercup. They are used in forensic entomology to help determine time of death. Max says, 'The rose chafer is a large and beautiful beetle that people are likely to notice. If you can’t get outside, why not bring the outside in by downloading our bird song radio app? For example, the bright green oak jewel beetle (Agrilus biguttatus). Catch up with the RSPB’s own nature detectives on the case as they look to save some very special places. It can be up to 20mm in length. © AfroBrazilian (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons. Despite the mounting pressures, hope is not lost. Max adds, 'London's deer parks support dung beetles such as these.'. As carrion beetles eat decaying animal remains, they recycle nutrients back into the soil. It is about 8mm long. © Gabriele Wahl/ Shutterstock.com. The stag beetle has declined due to a loss of dead wood habitat. Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI), Different types of protected wildlife sites, Carabus violaceus or Carabus problematicus. It is one of the few UK beetle species that has legal protection. Also in parks, hedgerows, meadows and woods.