Bloody-nosed Beetle - Timarcha tenebricosa
May 1, 2016 13:54:22 GMT
deliasfanatic, trehopr1, and 1 more like this
Post by nomad on May 1, 2016 13:54:22 GMT
Up on the top of great buff of downland that overlooks that Vale beneath, I decided to look in the shorter chalk grassland for Spring Coleoptera species. I thought I might find some Oil Beetles of the genus Meloe but there were none. I did however, find two species of flightless Bloody-nosed Beetles of the family Chrysomelidae.
The larger species Timarcha tenebricosa (2-2.5cm long) that I found, was on closer inspection was built and moved like a miniature tank. A smaller species Timarcha goettingensis also occurred here and had a lovely blue-violet colour and the puncturation of its elytra was coarser than those on the larger species tenebricosa. At this time of day, these beetles were never stationary and although they seem to move slowly they were still quite difficult to photograph. In the chalk grassland the larvae feed on Gallium species.
Their English name, they are also called blood spewer, relates to its being able to exclude a toxic bright red fluid from its mouth parts by breaking membranes to ward off predators. In one of my images below of tenebricosa, you can see the wonderful white padded feet that have hundreds of tiny adhesion hairs that enable them to climb on smooth surfaces and they can even cling to polished glass. All images April 2016.
Timarcha tenebricosa.
Notice the white padded feet right on the top image.
Timarcha goettingensis.
One biotope of the Timarcha beetles.
The larger species Timarcha tenebricosa (2-2.5cm long) that I found, was on closer inspection was built and moved like a miniature tank. A smaller species Timarcha goettingensis also occurred here and had a lovely blue-violet colour and the puncturation of its elytra was coarser than those on the larger species tenebricosa. At this time of day, these beetles were never stationary and although they seem to move slowly they were still quite difficult to photograph. In the chalk grassland the larvae feed on Gallium species.
Their English name, they are also called blood spewer, relates to its being able to exclude a toxic bright red fluid from its mouth parts by breaking membranes to ward off predators. In one of my images below of tenebricosa, you can see the wonderful white padded feet that have hundreds of tiny adhesion hairs that enable them to climb on smooth surfaces and they can even cling to polished glass. All images April 2016.
Timarcha tenebricosa.
Notice the white padded feet right on the top image.
Timarcha goettingensis.
One biotope of the Timarcha beetles.
