Bugs are a wonderful group of animals that are often dismissed and swatted out of the way as they’re not the typical, cuddly animals that are the focus of much conservation. But, if you give them the chance, you’ll find them to be a charismatic, fascinating set of creatures. Bugs have been around for about 470 million years before humans even existed (making us the nuisance visitors to their planet)! We must respect them, and to do this, we must learn about them. Below are some of the creepy-crawlies you’ll be able to find in the UK. Have a look and see which one is your favourite and then try to spot it this summer!
Discalimer: Despite using 'bug' in the title, I have also spoken about beetles in the following article. Whilst these are both types of insect, please note that their anatomy makes bugs and beetles different. Beetles have mouthparts and chew whereas bugs have a rostrum which is a beak that can pierce into plants and animals to feed. Please excuse my use of creative freedom to only mention bugs in the title!!!
Rosemary Beetle
Chrysolina americana
6 - 8 mm long
With their shimmery, rainbow-coloured shell, the rosemary beetle roams the UK as a relatively new species – first discovered in the wild in 1994. It is thought that the renowned scientist, Carl Linnaeus, mistakenly believed they came from America and so named them Chrysolina americana after the wrong country! They actually come from southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and were brought over to the UK with the herb trade. You’ll find these beauties in most parts of Britain on strong-smelling plants such as rosemary (hence their name), lavender, and sage. They’re most noticeable in spring and late summer when they’re most actively eating.
Cockchafers
Melolontha melolontha
2.5 - 3 cm long
Also known as Doodlebugs or Maybugs, these little creatures look as funny as their names are, with characteristic, fanned antennae that makes it look like they’re wearing a pair of groovy, false eyelashes. They’re quite common in the UK and can be found in parks, gardens, meadows, and farm fields. If you listen carefully, you might also be able to hear them coming as they’re quite noisy flyers. They used to be very abundant in the UK landscape however due to their destructive impact on harvests, they’ve been targeted by farmers, who have worked to get rid of them with pesticides. In one whacky story from the 1300s, cockchafers were gathered into a courtroom and ordered to “withdraw their presence within three days or risk being outlawed”. Unfortunately for both humans and cockchafers, they paid no attention to the warning and continued to gobble up the harvests. Consequently, they were collected and killed. As work is being done to reduce pesticide use, cockhafers’ numbers have started to increase.
Black and Red Froghopper
Cercopis vulnerata
9 - 11 mm long
These bugs get their name from their resemblance to a tropical frog when seen from above, with the black and red shell. They are also known as spittle bugs due to the frothy foam nests that nymphs (baby bugs) secrete for both protection from predators and as a source of hydration. Look out for these foamy nests in fields, parks, and bushes in late spring. Also similar to frogs, they’re great jumpers, having been seen to jump as far as 70cm! They have very strong hind legs which catapult them through the swaying grass of summer. They’re present in England and Wales throughout the entire summer so keep an eye out for them on the leaves and stems of plants or grass as they feed on the sap.
Pied Shieldbug
Tritomegas bicolor
5.5 - 7.5 mm long
With the round, black and white shell, these dapper bugs are found in woodlands, hedgerows, and bushes in southern England and parts of Wales. They are fussy eaters, only drinking sap from the seeds of Dead-nettles (Lamium) and Black horehound (Ballota nigra) so look closely at these plants to see if you can spot any of them. A rare occurrence in the insect world, female pied shieldbugs are actually extremely caring mothers. She will dig a hole in soil to lay her eggs and will then guard over them for three weeks, tending to them dotingly. Once the babies hatch, she will guide them to a plant to feed on.
Brush-horned Sand Beetle
Orthocerus clavicornis
3.5 - 5mm long
Found in coastal areas and sometimes even sand pits, they are rather dull in colour but have the most fascinating, furry antennae resembling mascara wands and pitting against their wing cases, resembling armour. Although it’s an abundant species, little is known about its behaviours and activities, such as its reproductive habits, diet, and even life span. This beetle can be found all summer, from April up until September. The good news is that these creatures aren't endangered, however, they are threatened by decreases in dune and heathland from deforestation and also by disruptive human activities like motor biking, hiking, and horse riding. Next time you’re lying on a beach in the UK (hopefully catching some rare British sun), take a closer look within the sand grains to see if you can spot one of these cuties.
Green Tiger Beetle
Cicindela campestris
10.5 - 14.5 mm long
These beetles can be identified by their beautiful, emerald-green shells dotted with small, yellow spots. They exist all over Britain, usually at lower levels of bare ground with minimal vegetation, in warm, sandy locations such as heaths, hillsides, dunes and brownfield sites, from the months of April to September. These large beetles are, in fact, predators that hunt on smaller invertebrates such as ants, spiders, and caterpillars. They’re well-adapted hunters with long legs, large eyes, and strong jaws with several teeth. The larvae, too, are hunters; the pit in which they live acts as a trap for creatures to fall into. The larvae have a well-developed, strong mandible (lower jaw) which allows them to feed on their unsuspecting prey. However, the larvae, are also victim to a wasp parasite, Methoca ichneumonoides. A female wasp will lay her eggs inside the larva’s body. She then stings the larva, paralysing it and lays her own egg in the larva’s burrow. After a while, this egg will hatch and the wasp larva will feed on the beetle larva in its very own home… eurghhh, nature can be so nasty!
Glow-worms
Lampyris noctiluca
15 - 25 mm long
Despite their names, glow worms are actually beetles, and not worms at all. They can be found in meadows, grasslands, and hedgerows. For most of their life, they live as predatory larvae for up to three years, hiding under rocks and in grasses, feeding mostly on snails and slugs. They feed by biting prey several times which injects digestive proteins into it, paralysing and slowly digesting it. Even more disturbing is the fact that, whilst waiting for their prey to break down, they can hitch a ride on their back, using it like an edible taxi! Females are the ones who usually glow, as a technique to attract the males with photosensitive eyes, but the larvae and eggs have also been seen to glow. Once they’ve developed into adults, they only survive for a few weeks, sacrificing eating to focus their energy entirely on reproducing. Adults will be present for a short amount of time, spanning June and July. They can be found all over the country in grasslands, gardens, hedgerows, and railway embankments and are most easily spotted at night. To increase your chances of finding them, choose a night when the air is warm and still, during the crescent phase of the moon, and avoid bringing artificial light sources like torches and phones. Once you’ve let your eyes adjust to the natural light of the moon, look for a bioluminescent glow of green on the tops of grass stalks.
Save the Bugs!
Along with being extremely interesting to look at and learn about, bugs, beetles and insects are a key part of the ecosystem in which we all depend on. Many species across the world are increasingly threatened by many factors such as pesticide use, urbanisation, and climate change. In the UK, there’s evidence for a shocking 59% decrease in insects since the 70s (The State of Nature Report). But there is still lots of hope, and with work being done to decrease the use of pesticides, some bug populations are now increasing.
If you’re keen to help improve the environment for these wondrous creatures, they are so many things you can do. If you have a garden, curate a corner of it to encourage the survival of bugs. You can do this by keeping grass long rather than mowing it, and introduce wildflowers such as lavender, foxglove, and honeysuckle, all of which insects love. There are also loads of organisations that focus on the conservation of these smaller species. Donate or volunteer for a charity such as:
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