Lesser Bloody Nosed Beetle - Timarcha goettingensis

Scientific Name: Timarcha goettingensis.

English Name: Lesser Bloody Nosed Beetle.

French Name: Le Petit crache sang.

5 Key Characters:

• 8 - 10 mm long.
• Pronotum (the section between head and abdomen) has almost parallel sides.
• black quite shiny domed body.
• flightless, and walks ponderously.
• exudes a red fluid from its mouth when alarmed.
  

Lookalikes: Bloody Nosed Beetle T. tenebricosa, which is larger and not so shiny.

Habitat: Grassland where there are Bedstraws Galium spp, as this is what it eats.

Active Period: Adults are most active from April to August, but can be seen in any month.

Status: Common.

Further information:
Post on Days on the Claise, our daily blog.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:
Photographs are numbered from left to right and top to bottom. 1 - 7 female, eating Galium sp, in the haymeadow in front of our orchard, April. 8 - 9 male (note felty pads on feet), details as female above.