There are a number of conspicuous beetles that appear during April and May. In natural grassland ,especially short grazed chalk or neutral grassland ,beetles such as the bloody nosed beetle (Tamarcha tenebricosa) trundle around. They eat bedstraws especially goose grass. The larvae are squat and dark green with a slight metallic lustre.They are becoming increasinly scarce in many areas as natural grasslands disappear.
Below it and to the left are a pair of lesser bloody nosed beetle(Timarcha goettingensis), which live in similar habitats but prefer shorter sward and they are far less common.Their is an obvious size difference between the species and the smaller type has pitted shell rather than smooth, and the male is often more shiny than the female.
Another rare species is Chrysolina oricalcia) is also found in the same habitats and may be confused with the later species but on close observation one can see the difference. Here is a specimen with a small bloody nosed beetle on the right.
Oil beetles (Meloe brevicollis) can also be seen in the same habitats but prefer areas of longer grass with flowers, especially yellow composites. the large egg laden female lays under a plant and the larva on hatching climbs the flower stem, into the flower and waits for a female solitary bee, to hitch a lift with back to its nest and then eat its offspring and pollen store.
