Rare beetle found in Wales after sixty years absence
Conservationists have rediscovered a rare beetle species in Pembrokeshire after it was missing from Wales for sixty years.
The Short-Necked Oil Beetle relies heavily on solitary bees to complete its life cycle successfully each year. It requires thick vegetation and dense flowers to survive in its specific habitat requirements effectively. These conditions are essential for the beetle to find shelter and food sources needed for growth.
Experts previously found only dead adults at Castlemartin last year which raised serious concerns about the future of this vulnerable species. However, recent surveys discovered larvae on a small area suggesting hatchlings from a larger group of young beetles were found there.
Natural Resources Wales confirmed that the number and distribution of beetle larvae support the idea that surveyors managed to find some young beetles. This discovery indicates that the species is breeding again in Wales after being absent for almost six decades.
The beetle is considered nationally rare within Great Britain and marked as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Adults grow up to twenty-four millimeters in length and have a life span of approximately one year in their natural environment.
“We look forward to the continued management of the site so that this amazing species can survive now and into the future.”