Boring beetles
Beetles are never boring, unless they’re tunnelling, of course.
How fabulous are these tunnels under the bark of this tree? I’d love to identify what made them. It appears that the tunnels get wider as the beetle larva gets fatter. My clothes understand that approach.
More Beetles
The flame-coloured sun worshiper It's summer and it's sunny. In the garden here in Oxfordshire, as we house-sit for friends, there are insects aplenty.… read more
There’s a beetle-shaped hole in our lives In the UK the species Trichodes alvearius and another, the Bee-Eating Beetle, Trichodes apiarius, “Have not been seen since the 19th century and are… read more
Sexton This summer in Orkney we met up with two friends and fellow enthusiasts for a moth-trapping evening. I loved setting… read more
Spotting chafers We're walking in the heat through pungent herbs, surrounded by butterflies and day-flying moths with Lesser Kestrels overhead. We're in… read more
Mediterranean Spotted Chafer It's taken me a while to identify this beetle I saw in Italy this summer. It really shouldn't have taken… read more
The tiger with six spots We're walking along the River Potomac in Virginia, in Scott's Run Nature Preserve. It's hot and humid: Along the path… read more
Reed Beetle on the reeds Habitat. It's the key to the survival of our planet. One species isn't enough: everything depends upon everything else in… read more
Cockchafer Apparently this is a Cockchafer. I'll take whoever named its word for it. I'm not about to try it and… read moreThe Bee-Hive Beetle That's bright! It's got bright red and black striped warning colouration. It's the Bee-Hive Beetle, Trichodes alvearius, named by Johan… read more