Adur Terrestrial Beetles 2006 - 2008
This is a miscellaneous selection rather than a representative sample. Beetles were only recorded as incidentals or because they were large and noticeable. Ladybirds have their own page. 

5 June 2008
This is an abundant and widespread species Thick-legged Flower Beetle, Oedemera nobilis, has been around for a few days on the outskirts of Shoreham town.

20 April 2008
On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, the first Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, was seen in flower with the accompanying pollen beetles, Meligethes erichsoni. Paederus littoralis were seen without looking for them on the path through the scrub in the north-west of Mill Hill.


27 June 2007
The first small Rhagonycha fulva (a Soldier Beetle, Cantharidae) beetles were seen on the southern bank of the Slonk Hill Cutting.
 
5 & 10 June 2007
These small green beetles Cryptocephalus  and small black pollen beetles Meligethes are commonly seen in spring. The most common plant the black pollen beetles visit is the Hawkbit illustrated on the right. A different species of Meligethes may visit Horseshoe Vetch and another one for Oil Seed Rape. 

Royal Horticultural Society web page on Pollen Beetles (Meligethes species)

Checklist of UK Recorded Nitidulidae

 The most likely species for the green beetle seems to be Cryptocephalus aureolus.  I have recorded this beetle on Hawkbits, Bulbous Buttercups, Kidney Vetch and probably* on Mouse-eared Hawkweed. All these occurrences are evidenced by photographs. (*Plant ID is unclear from the photograph.)

Checklist of UK Recorded Chrysomelidae
 

 

3 October 2006
There was a dead Dor Beetle on the steps of the Butterfly Copse next to the Waterworks Road.

30 August 2006
 
Violet Ground Beetle, Carabus violaceus

A Violet Ground Beetle, Carabus violaceus, hid underneath the discarded chestnut fencing on the Pixie Path.

29 July 2006
A female Stag Beetle was flying around in our lounge in Mill Hill Close (south of Mill Hill) after darkness. This is number five we have seen. They were surprisingly nimble in flight but very noisy.

Report by Brian Drury on the Lancing Nature Smart Group
29 June 2006
Another female Stag Beetle was seen in Upper Shoreham Road, Shoreham.
Report by Brian Drury on the Lancing Nature Smart Group
24 June 2006
A female Stag Beetle was spotted slowly running around my garden in Mill Hill Close (south of Mill Hill) in the early evening.
Report and Photograph by Brian Drury on the Lancing Nature Smart Group
Stag Beetle Helpline
 
18 June 2006
The remains of three Stag Beetles were seen on a woodland path at Lancing Ring. Some predator (experts think of Magpies) must have eaten the juicy bits. The beetle Dascillus cervinus was also discovered. This fawn coloured beetle is a common downland species.
Image of Dascillus cervinus
Photographs by Ray Hamblett on the 
Lancing Ring Nature Notes
and on flickrBritish Insects & Other Arthropods
 Stag Beetle remains (Photograph by Andy Horton)
12 June 2006

Thick-legged Flower Beetle 
Oedemera nobilis

This is an abundant and widespread species. 

2 June 2006
A Devil's Coach Horse Beetle was seen underneath the discarded chestnut fencing on the the Pixie Path.
 
27 May 2006
This little red beetle was spotted on the Sompting Brooks, where the gardens meet the wild strouds. It is only about 6 mm long.


It is Endomychus coccineus and it is sometimes called the False Ladybird. It feeds on the fungus on the bark of rotten deciduous trees. 

Identification by Malcolm Storey (BioImages) on the British Insects Yahoo Group
15 May 2006
An unidentifed weevil (or beetle) crawled amongst the Burnet Saxifrage leaves on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.
The underneath picture is the insect inverted. This could be Galeruca tanaceti ?
 

Paederus littoralis were still present under the discarded Chestnut fencing on the Pixie Path.
7 May 2006

This small species of bug or beetle (leaf beetle?) was seen in a garden in north Shoreham. It looks like a pest species. 

9 April 2006
The beetles Paederus littoralis were still present under the discarded Chestnut fencing on the Pixie Path.

Paederus littoralis18 January 2006
Under the discarded Chestnut fencing on the Pixie Path, most of the dozen wood lice and a few spidersscampered off too quickly for the camera. One colourful Rove Beetle (Staphylinida) was slower and is shown on the left. There were three or four of these flightless beetles known as Paederus littoralis. The book (Chinery) says that this beetle is to be found in damp places. The specific name rather indicates the shore. These beetles contain a fluid called paederin which can cause the skin to peel and is more serious if it comes into contact with your eyes. There are examples of serious dermatitis caused by this substance (Beetle Juice). The front of the abdomen is called the elytra.

The identification has not been confirmed, but it seems probable. The British species of the same genus are:

Paederus caligatus Erichson, 1840
Paederus fuscipes Curtis, 1826
Paederus littoralis Gravenhorst, 1802
Paederus riparius (Linnaeus, 1758)  The specific name indicates a river.

This is a hardy species and one specimen has survived 22 days to 2 March 2006 in an airtight container (35mm film capsule) without food or water.

Adur Beetles > 2005
Link to Adur Water Beetles
Adur Ladybirds

British Beetles Yahoo Group

The Coleopterist


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