Rare Short-Necked Oil Beetle Found Breeding in Wales After 60 Years
Conservationists discovered beetle larvae at Castlemartin Range in Pembrokeshire, the first sign of breeding in Wales in six decades.
At a glance
- Larvae of the rare Short-Necked Oil Beetle were found at Castlemartin Range in Pembrokeshire.
- The discovery is the first evidence of the species breeding in Wales in 60 years.
- The beetle is nationally rare in Great Britain and vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Conservationists have found larvae of the rare Short-Necked Oil Beetle at Castlemartin Range in Pembrokeshire, the first evidence that the species is breeding in Wales again after 60 years.
The discovery follows three years of searching at the site. Last year’s survey found only dead adult beetles, raising concerns about the insect’s future there. This year, experts located larvae in a small area, and Natural Resources Wales said their number and distribution suggested the beetles were successfully hatching.
Anne Hobbs of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust described the find as very exciting. She said the evidence indicated the species was breeding in Wales once more.
Habitat and conservation status
The Short-Necked Oil Beetle depends on solitary bees to complete its lifecycle. It requires thick vegetation for shelter and dense flower coverage to survive. Adults are typically active from March to June in flower-rich coastal grassland and sand dune habitats, especially on warm, sunny days.
The beetle can grow up to 24mm long and lives for about one year as an adult. It is classed as nationally rare in Great Britain and listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Natural Resources Wales said only a handful of suitable sites exist in the UK.
Wider recovery efforts
The species was not reported in the UK for almost 60 years after 1948 because habitat loss pushed it toward extinction. It was rediscovered in Devon in 2006 and on the Isle of Coll in Scotland in 2009. Populations have since been found on Tiree, Islay, Barra and Uist.
Castlemartin Range is currently the only location in Wales where the beetle can be found. The survey work is part of Wales’s flagship species recovery programme, which Natural Resources Wales runs to protect the beetle and other species with similar habitat needs.
Hobbs thanked partners and volunteers for their support after two years without a larval sighting. She said future management of the site would aim to help the species survive now and into the future.
Source: BBC Science.
Questions and answers
- What beetle was found in Wales?
- The Short-Necked Oil Beetle was found at Castlemartin Range in Pembrokeshire.
- Why is the discovery important?
- It is the first evidence in 60 years that the beetle is breeding in Wales again.
- Where else has the beetle been found in the UK?
- It has been found in Devon, the Isle of Coll, Tiree, Islay, Barra and Uist.
