David
Element
Wildlife
Photography
and Digital
Video Images
_______________________________________ Beetles 10

GROUND BEETLE Elaphrus riparius

BLOODY-NOSED BEETLE Timarcha
tenebricosa

BLOODY-NOSED BEETLE Timarcha
tenebricosa

MELOID BEETLE Mylabris variabilis

MELOID BEETLE Mylabris variabilis

LONGHORN BEETLE Brachyleptura
cordigera

BLACK-HEADED
CARDINAL BEETLE Pyrochroa coccinea

ASPARAGUS BEETLES Crioceris
asparagi
- Members of several beetle
families are shown. Pictures 2 - 6 were taken in the
South of France. The fast moving and cryptically
patterned Elaphrus riparius
inhabits the muddy surrounds of ponds and it is
remarkably well camouflaged in this habitat - the outline
is difficult to make out even in this close-up view. The
lower photograph of the Bloody-nosed Beetle
clearly illustrates the origins of the eponym of this
species. Reflex bleeding is normally used to deter
predators, but on this occasion an attempted rescue
operation (i.e. removing the beetle from a road by
picking it up and tossing it gently into the nearby
embankment) went slightly askew when the beetle hit a
branch during its descent and reflex-bled in
understandable protest! Mylabris variabilis
is commonly found feeding on flowers in southern France,
presumably eating pollen. British oil beetles do not
share this striking coloration, which almost certainly
advertises the distasteful nature of this beetle. Brachyleptura
cordigera is one of a number of similar red
and black European longhorn (longicorn) beetles. The
Black-headed Pyrochroa coccinea
is the rarer of the two British Cardinal Beetles.
See also Beetles 17. Asparagus Beetles will
be familiar to all Asparagus growers within its range.
The eggs of this species (not shown) are enormous in
comparison with the size of their parents.
-> Beetles
1
-> Beetles
2
-> Beetles 3
-> Beetles
4
-> Beetles
5
-> Beetles 6
-> Beetles
7
-> Beetles
8
-> Beetles
9
-> Beetles
11
-> Beetles 12
-> Beetles
13
-> Beetles
14
-> Beetles 15
-> Beetles
16
-> Beetles
17
-> Index,
Common Names
-> Index,
Scientific Names
-> Site Index