Oil beetle ID

Jason Claxton · #1 (**permalink**) 07-10-2009, 05:49 PM

Oil beetles were new to me this summer,I put this one down as Meloe proscarabaeus ,but didn't submit records as I couldn't be certain.Does anyone know what it is for certain from this pic.Sorry about the over the top flash on this one.Thanks.Jason

Geoff F · #2 (**permalink**) 07-10-2009, 06:59 PM

It certainly looks like one of the Meloe family and quite possibly M. proscarabaeus but there are a few similar alternatives, and in this case correct colour would be helpful.

But if you don't find an expert, have a look through this site http://www.koleopterologie.de/galler...-dinicola.html all the Meloe species are there.

A very useful site, I find, but you do really need the family name to get you started.

Here is a link to their Home Page. http://www.koleopterologie.de/gallery/ if you click on Families in the bottom line you will find a list of latin and common names which should get you started.

Jason Claxton · #3 (**permalink**) 07-10-2009, 07:11 PM

Many thanks Geoff.They should be a straight foward group,but I couldn't get the Info.They also appeared a bit earlier than the books suggested they should.I saw this same species in two different locations,both of these on chalk.Cheers Jason.

Rossco · #4 (**permalink**) 07-10-2009, 08:05 PM

Jason

That's almost certainly Meloe proscarabaeus. This species along with Meloe violaceus are by far the most common in the UK and I've only ever seen the former and then only adults at the bottom of a pitfall trap. The other species have been royally shafted by habitat loss and agricultural intensification.

Jason Claxton · #5 (**permalink**) 08-10-2009, 06:30 AM

Thanks Rossco,although these where seen earlier than the books suggest they should be,there was no colouration that suggested M.violaceus As to the habitat loss, the ones I did see were on nature reserves wth chalk downland,some books seem to suggest that I might see them on any grassland,but whether this is a relevant picture now,I dont know.I will gen up on these ,thanks to Geoffs links.And will submit records of these when I am certain,I will have good look next summer at them.Cheers Jason.

charlieb · #6 (**permalink**) 08-10-2009, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

but didn't submit records as I couldn't be certain.

You can always submit records of "Meloe sp" - much better than guessing at a species.

ChrisR · #7 (**permalink**) 08-10-2009, 07:54 AM

You could always get in touch with Darren Mann at the Hope Collection in Oxford. He was rewriting the Meloe key a while ago - not sure how far he got. Strangely, I have only ever seen Meloe rugosus, one of the really rare ones, here in south Oxfordshire

Jason Claxton · #8 (**permalink**) 08-10-2009, 08:29 AM

Cheers Charlie,yeh Meloe sp. it is at the mo.Chris its interesting you've only seen M.rugosus,its a start I wouldn't mind

.Right I shall find out about that key,many thanks both for the info.Jason

ChrisR · #9 (**permalink**) 08-10-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

Chris its interesting you've only seen M.rugosus,its a start I wouldn't mind

.

Well, saying that, I have only seen 2 in 20 years ... one was given to me (found dead on a path on a nature reserve) and the other was wandering across some chalk downland. Their complex lifecycle is probably one reason why they are getting so rare these days - with high-quality downland being in such short supply these days and large expanses of it often restricted to the coasts.

Jason Claxton · #10 (**permalink**) 08-10-2009, 08:47 AM

Yes I agree about the habitat loss.Another reason that they might not have been seen as often as they might, is that this year I noticed that most of the activity with the adult Meloe I saw happened within a few short weeks.But I have only the experience of one summer behind me,cant really extrapolate from this I know.

Thanks Jason