Field And Stream

Field & Stream Look out for UK’s 4,000 beetle species

Beetles are fascinating insects and a surprising variety of over 4,000 species present in the UK means you can look out for them wherever you are. You might spot them scurrying across log piles in woodlands, scrambling over plants in the garden or foraging in the countryside. How many species will you spot this summer? Woodland beetles North Dorset woodlands, such as Girdlers Coppice nature reserve, are a thriving habitat for several beetle species. Lesser stag and longhorn beetles live, breed and feed in decaying wood. Woodlands also provide plenty of different food sources for beetle species. The common sexton beetle is an ‘undertaker’ of the natural world, burying carcasses of deceased mice and small birds. A male and female sexton beetle will breed and stay close to the carcass which provides a food source

A Sexton beetle – Picture: Richard Burkmar

for its larvae. Dung beetles When walking on farmland you will almost certainly come across a dungheap. While we might do all we can to avoid these, dung beetles thrive on the waste of farm animals and wildlife. You might think of dung beetles as a singular species, but in fact there are 60 species in the UK and many hundreds more across the world that make up this group. The minotaur beetle is one UK species, which feeds on rabbit droppings and other dung, mostly at night. Its three horns and glossy black, ridged wing cases make it a striking and recognisable sight.

Garden beetles Ladybirds are some of the most well-known and loved garden beetles, but there are many more to spot. Gardeners might be familiar with cockchafers (also known as maybugs) and rose chafers. Rose chafer adults, with their iridescent coppery-green wing casings, can be seen between May and October. They feed on flowers, with a particular preference for dog roses. Chafers, like most beetles, play an important part in recycling nutrients back into the soil, as they and their larvae digest decaying matter. Chafer grubs might be found while digging in the garden and are best left undisturbed to build up reserves to reach maturity, when they emerge from the ground as adults. To find information on nature reserves and tips on attracting insects to your garden, visit the Dorset Wildlife Trust website at dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk. Flock enjoying some super seasonal scran

THE FIELD

with Tria Stebbing

The bluebells and wild garlic are magnificent now. The flock have discovered the joy of munching wild garlic and are now giving off a very pungent smell. I had to switch them onto a new patch of grass yesterday and the rush to get at the wild garlic was amazing. I wondered if they are really clever sheep. The weather is warming up a bit and the recent rain has brought out the flies. Garlic is known for its many benefits to horses, it is anti-septic, anti-inflammatory and is rich in selenium and sulphur and is used as a natural fly repellent. Sheep have a reputation for being stupid, if they see a hole in a fence, they are almost guaranteed to try and get their head stuck in it, if they see an opportunity to escape from a lush green pasture, they probably will. The jury is out: we will still treat them for the seasonal fly strike, but it will be interesting to see if we keep the flies away. I need to book Joe. Joe is the shearer that comes out to defleece the flock once a year. Sheep grow their wool continuously, without shearing it would become matted with dirt, parasites, urine, etc it makes their coat very heavy and uncomfortable. If the sheep are left unshorn, they would overheat in the summer leading to heat stress and ultimately death. The shearer is worth every penny of the modest fee that we pay, he makes it look so easy. Any of the slightly mis-marked sheep suddenly take on a whole new look as you can see right down to their skin, my lovely Disney princess mis marked ewe manages to pass herself off as a Dutch Spotted for a few months with no trouble. The rain has kick started the grass to grow, it will not without a doubt be ready to cut by June, already we are looking at it being much later, at least the delay gives us the chance to keep on top of the thistle and dock management that we started last season. Water levels in the pond continue to fluctuate, already it is much lower than usual, exposing some parts of the surface rarely seen. Nature, not Boris, seems to be well in control of how things move out of lockdown for some of us.