Download Introduction to Beetles Workshop Suzanne Bairner

Introduction to Beetles Workshop
Suzanne Bairner
www.buglife.org.uk
@buzz_dont_tweet
Who are Buglife?
• The only organisation in Europe concerned with the
conservation of ALL invertebrates.
• AIM: To halt invertebrate extinctions and achieve sustainable
populations of invertebrates in the UK.
We will accomplish our aim by protecting, improving and
expanding their habitats (homes) and strengthening the respect
given to bug species. We will achieve this by:• Mobilising and inspiring action by others through the
development and dissemination of knowledge and values.
• Undertaking practical conservation projects.
• Promoting the value of invertebrates and raising awareness
about the challenges to their survival.
• Shaping the development of relevant legislation and policy.
What are Invertebrates?
• Everything without a backbone.
• Estimated global number -over 10 million species!!
• Over 40,000 invertebrate species in the UK.
UK examples:
• Beetles (~4,200 species)
• Flies (~7,000)
• Dragonflies (42)
• Spiders (660)
• Woodlice (37)
• Centipedes (44) and millipedes (~60)
• Marine invertebrates (crabs, sea-squirts, starfish, jellyfish,
anemones and many others (>1,500)
Ecosystem Services
Humans depend on
invertebrates for many FREE
essential services:
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•
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Pollination
Soil management
Nutrient cycling
Waste management
Control of pest species
Food for us and other animals
Beetles = Insects!
Head
Thorax
Abdomen
3 pairs of jointed legs
Amazing Beetles
• Order Coleoptera
(Coleo: sheath, ptera:
wing)
• ~370,000 species world
wide.
• Inhabit nearly every
biological niche from
tundra to rainforests.
• No other group of
animals exhibit such
range in size, colour and
shape.
Beetle Evolution
• Extremely good at adapting to new ecological environments,
i.e. changing their lifestyles and feeding habits.
• Have been around for millions of years, plenty of examples
within fossil record due to hard exoskeleton.
• Several of the modern suborders that we have today
evolved 200 million years ago.
Leaf beetle 40 million years old
Cretaceous Aquatic beetle fossil
Ladybird like beetle in amber
Long horn beetle
Ladybird
Leaf beetle
Ground beetle
Rove beetle
Click beetle
Soldier beetle
Diving beetle
Beetle Facts
•‘Feather-winged'
beetles (Family Ptiliidae) are amongst the
world's smallest insects (measuring as little as 0.21mm)!
•The heaviest and bulkiest of all insects are the Megasoma
(Rhinoceros) beetles of South America; larva of Megasoma
actaeon can weigh in at over 200g.
•Rhinoceros beetles can lift 850 times their own weightequivalent to an average adult (70kg) lifting 7 double-deckers.
•UK’s largest beetle- the stag beetle at 90mm!
Megasoma actaeon
Feather winged beetle
Beetle Lifecycle
• Larvae - darkened head capsule &
chewing mouthparts.
• Complete metamorphosis
(Holometabilism).
• Several instars, taking days-weeksyears to develop.
• Pupate into fully formed, sexually
mature adult beetle.
• Adult lifespan weeks to years!
Beetle Lifecycle
What makes a beetle a beetle?
• 3 regions- head, thorax
& abdomen.
• Hard exoskeleton
including forewings
(elytra).
• 6-11 segmented
antenna.
• Chewing mouth parts.
Beetle Antennae
A. filiform (thread-like); B. pectinate (comb-like); C. serrate (saw-like); D. moniliform (beadlike); E. lamellate (plate-like); F. plumose (feather-like); G. elbowed and clubbed.
Beetle Legs
Ground beetle- thin tarsi and
long legs for fast running
Water beetle- fine swimming
hairs on tarsi
Leaf beetle- heart shaped tarsi
Dung beetleexpanded femur
modified for digging
and fighting
Beetle Families
• In the most recent checklist of British and Irish beetles
(Duff, 2012) the Order Coleoptera is divided into three
Suborders:
• Myxophaga (one species only);
• Adephaga (comprising the predatory ground beetles
(Carabidae) and five water beetle families); and the
• Polyphaga (all the rest i.e. Rove beetles, Ladybirds,
Longhorns , Leaf beetles- divided into 16 Superfamilies).
• The complete list includes 4,072 species in 1,265 genera
and 103 families.
Beetle Families
•
Ground beetle (Family Carabidae)
•
Long horn beetle (Family Cerambycidae)
•
Leaf beetle (Family Chrysomelidae)
•
Ladybird (Family Coccinellidae)
•
Click beetle (Family Elateridae)
•
Soldier beetle (Family Cantharidae)
•
Carrion beetle (Family Silphidae)
•
Dung beetle and chafer (Family Scarabaeidae)
•
Rove beetle (Family Staphylinidae)
•
Weevil (Family Curculionidae and Apionidae)
Ground beetles (Family Carabidae)
• ~370 species.
• Characteristic shape.
• Long thin antennae.
• Voracious predators- long legs.
• Annual life cycle- breed in
spring/summer after adult
overwintering, or in the autumn
prior to larval overwintering.
Violet ground beetle (Carabus problematicus)
Streaked bombadier beetle
(Brachinus sclopeta)
Green tiger beetle (Cicindela campestris)
Common blackclock (Pterostichus niger)
Streaked bombadier beetle (Brachinus sclopeta)
• Was thought extinct in UK for 75 years!
• Discovered on a mound at a brownfield site near Thames
barrier in 2006 (were relocated to new site).
• Other populations have since been discovered (only a few
small colonies).
• If disturbed squirt noxious boiling
chemicals (hydroquinones and
hydrogen peroxide)!
• Read more on Buglife’s website!
Longhorn Beetle (Family Cerambycidae)
• ~ 65 species- long antennae.
• Larvae develop in wood.
• Adults active only during spring
and summer.
• Some are agricultural pests.
• Most have eyes notched at
front to accommodate
antennae.
• Some have reduced elytra.
Wasp beetle (Clytus arietis)
Timberman beetle (Acanthocinus aedilis)
4 banded longhorn (Leptura quadrifasciatus)
Rhagium mordax
Leaf Beetle (Family Chrysomelidae)
• ~250 species.
• Often broad, oval and brightly
coloured.
• Some resemble ladybirds but
don’t have clubbed antennae.
• 3rd tarsal segment heart
shaped.
• Many are plant specific and
can be pests.
Zircon reed beetle (Donacia aquatica)
Lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii)
Tortoise beetle (Cassida rubiginosa)
Bloody nosed beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)
Tansy beetle Champions Project
• Tansy Beetle (Chrysolina graminis)
found only on banks of River Ouse in
York and require Tansy for their
survival.
• Two year HLF funded project to
protect and create new habitat
along the river.
• Growing Tansy plants, removing
non-native Himalayan balsam as
well as scrub control.
• Check out tansy beetle hub on
Buglife website!
Ladybird (Family Coccinellidae)
• 46 species.
• Characteristic bright colours with spots;
~20 species don’t have typical spots!
• Antenna short and clubbed and 2nd tarsal
segment heart shaped
• Larvae of most species feed on aphids.
• Adults hibernate in winter, often in large
numbers.
• Bright colours advertise bitter taste to
predators.
Larch ladybird (Aphidecta obliterata)
Coccidula rufa
Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
22 spot ladybird (Psyllobora 22-punctata)
Click Beetle (Family Elateridae)
• 73 species.
• Jump into the air when threatened or to
right themselves making a click when they
do so.
• Sharp posterior angles of pronotum.
• Adults often feed on plant pollen.
• Larvae known as wireworms that feed on
plant roots and in rotten wood.
• Males often differ from females in the
general shape and structure of antennae.
Wireworm larvae
Ampedus balteatus
Agriotes obscurus
Denticollis linearis
Ctenicera cuprea
Soldier Beetle (Family Cantharidae)
• 41 species.
• Various colour varieties within a species.
• Long and slender legs and antennae.
• Soft bodied with weakly chitinised elytra.
• Summer beetles, adults typically seen feeding
on pollen but also eat aphids.
• Larvae found at ground level and are wormlike feeding on
aphids, caterpillars and grasshopper eggs.
Red soldier beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)
Cantharis decipiens
Malthodes marginatus
Cantharis pellucida
Carrion Beetle (Family Silphidae)
• 23 species- large beetles with prominent eyes.
• Most feed on carrion but some feed on snails.
• Symmetrically clubbed or plated antennae.
• Head narrower than thorax.
• Strong fliers with chemoreceptor's on
their antennae to find carrion.
Thanatophilus rugosus
Sexton beetle (Nicrophorus investigator)
Black snail beetle (Silpha
atrata)
Red shouldered carrion beetle
(Oiceoptoma thoracicum)
Dung Beetle (Family Scarabaeidae)
• ~80 species.
• Antennae with lamellate club.
• Elytra usually truncate exposing last 3
abdomen segments.
• Mandibles concealed from above by a
broad head shield.
• Scarabs are dung feeders.
• Chafers are vegetarian.
Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha)
Bee beetle (Trichius fasciatus)
Aphodius fossor
Aphodius fimetarius
Rove Beetle (Family Staphylindae)
• Over 1,000 species in UK!
• Over ¼ of our beetles in 19 subfamilies
• Long slender abdomen and short elytra
• Most are good flyers- fold wings under
short elytra.
• Huge range in size within family from
1.5mm-35mm.
Staphylinus erythropterus
Anotylus rugosus
Stenus clavicornis
Devils coach horse (Ocypus olens)
Weevils (Family Curculionidae)
• Over 600 species in UK.
• Clubbed antennae, antennal scape.
• Long rostrum (except broad nosed
weevils).
• Most covered with small scales.
• All species are herbivorous and
many are agricultural pests.
Family Apionidae
Broad nosed weevil
Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)
Nettle(Phyllobius
weevil (Phyllobius
pomaceus)
Nettle weevil
pomaceus)
Other Beetle Families
• Pill beetle (Family Byrrhidae),
• Pollen beetle (Family Nitidulidae),
• Water beetles (Family Dytiscidae, Hydrophilidae and
Gyrinidae),
• Flower beetles (Family Oedemeridae),
• Woodworm (Family Anobiidae),
• Oil beetles (Family Meloidae),
• Glow worm (Family Lampyridae).
Beetle Habitats
Finding Beetles
Kit…….
• Pooter,
• Sweep net,
• Tubes,
• Hand lens.
Field guide - Harde K, W (1999)
A field Guide in colour to Beetles,
Blitz Editions- if you can get it!
Non-fatal pitfall trap
Sampling Techniques
• Sweeping vegetation- Leaf beetles, Ladybirds, Soldier beetles,
Pollen beetles.
• Pitfall Trap- Ground beetles, Pill beetles, Carrion beetles, Dung
beetles.
• Beating Tray- Ladybirds, Leaf beetles, Soldier beetles.
• Moth Traps- Carrion beetles, Dung beetles, Water beetles.
• Pond dipping- Water beetles, Water scavenger beetles.
• Hand searching- under stones and logs for Ground beetles and
wood loving beetles.
• Looking on flowers- Chafers, Longhorn beetles, Pollen beetles,
Soldier beetles.
Can be lethal or non-lethal!
Identifying Beetles
Important features:
• Hairs and hairiness,
• Body sculpturing- pits, depressions,
stria,
• Pits and pores- the sites of sensory
hairs,
• Habitat and distribution- what
plants they are found on,
• Genitalia.
Confusing Bugs...
•
•
•
•
True bugs (Order Hemiptera) are sometimes
mistaken as beetles.
Includes- shield bugs, aphids, water boatman,
froghoppers, damsel bugs…
Mandibles and maxillae of true bugs have
formed a rostrum for piercing food and sucking
up fluid.
Forewings are partially hardened and don’t align
in the middle.
Partially thickened
forewing
Rostrum
Wings
don’t meet
in centre
Beetle vs. True bug
Wings meet in middle
and have elytra
Biting mouthparts
Wings don’t meet in middle
and no elytra
Sucking mouthparts
Reasons for Collecting Beetles
• Generate reliable identified records that can be verified.
• Feed into national recording schemes.
• Develop own reference collection.
• Promote the study of beetles.
• Many species cannot be identified in the field, examination
under a Microscope and dissection may be necessary.
Importance of recording
• Send in your records to Environmental Records Information
Centre (ERIC) North East (www.nwt.org.uk/eric-north-east)
• If looking for confirmation about species identification try
iRecord: www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/ or Wild about Britain:
www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ or iSpot
http://www.ispotnature.org/
• Add your data to support research and decision making at
local and national levels.
• Everyone can contribute to science and conservation!
• Very important to send in records even if just casually
recording!
Carding Beetles
• Carding involves gluing a beetle
to a small piece of card.
• Beetle should be in a natural
pose, right way up and with all
legs and antennae spread out.
• Good carding can make ID easier
as all features can be seen.
• Labels should be added to each
specimen, including species
name, name of site where it was
collected, grid reference, date
and collector.
Carding Equipment
Equipment you will need for carding:
• Tissue paper,
• Small paint-brush,
• Fine forceps,
• Stiff but thin, white card,
• Coleopterists glue,
• Scissors,
• Pins (various sizes),
• Card for labels,
• Staging block,
• Fine-nibbed pen.
Equipment can be bought from Watkins and Doncaster
Staging blocks- for setting up
specimens and labels at the
same height on the pin
Preserving Specimens
• Ethyl acetate- one or two drops on tissue paper in a glass
tube or jar (don’t use plastic tubes! Take care as the vapour is
flammable).
• Alcohol- Industrial Methylated Spirit (IMS) or Ethanol 70%
with a drop of glycerol to stop specimens becoming too rigid.
• Boiling- drop into boiling water then into very cold water
(this cleans them too).
• Freezing- put tubes and freeze, excellent for long term
storage.
• Laurel jar- Collect and mash up young laurel leaves, put into
the bottom a large jar, the cyanide will last up to one year.