Beetle for i.d please

[Kevin Jarvis]

Hi all

Pic's taken this a.m in London,can someone please help with the i.d?
many thanks. Kev

[pammosley]

Carabidae (ground beetles) Germany photo overview - kerbtier.de

Hi Kev, this is a site I use. I think it may be a ground beetle of some description, sorry I can`t be more helpful

[Klaas Reißmann]

Hi,

I'm sorry to let you two know it is no groundbeetle (Carabidae), but a darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae), of genus Helops, which is more often found in the south of Europe. NBN tells Helops caeruleus and I guess the one in the photo will be this one.

I don't know if Helops is a genus occuring the UK. If not, it possibly was introduced by freight traffic. Maybe there is a harbour near your home. NBN's gritmap of records of this species give me a feeling that it is this. Most records from the coast or London, harbour areas and only a little records of the inland that might be possibly given of beetles that were displaced with freight from the harbours to the inland.

How ever, if you kept this beetle, I would be interrested in it.

Regards
Klaas

[Jason Green]

Morning Kevin,

Ah, Tenebrionidae; I looked in on this earlier and came to that family but couldn't take it further. Well done on the relevant NBN search, Klaas!

What part of London was this - North, South, East, West, central, gtr.?

Take care,

Jason

[pammosley]

Thanks for putting me right Klass, I`m happy to be wrong, it looks as if it is a good find for Kevin

[Kevin Jarvis]

Hi all,

Many thanks for all your help.I dont have the Beetle
anymore i'm afraid,and the location i found it was in
South-east London.

Thanks once again. Kev