An annotated Checklist to the Beetles of VC55 Atholus bimaculatus Lineaus 1758 (photograph GL Finch) An annotated Checklist to the Beetles of VC55 Special thanks and respect must go to Derek Lott, who had solely been responsible for maintaining the database for many years on which this checklist draws so heavily upon. Forever helpful to all, regardless of ability or knowledge Derek was always happy to give advice on his favourite subject. Ever enthusiastic to promote the study of our beetles using any means he could. Although perhaps not quite up to Derek’s standard, it would be nice to think this checklist gets his approval and we are doing our bit. First edition 28th March 2015, included all known records to the end of 2014 GL Finch Revised edition February 28th 2018, includes an additional 9200 records to end of 2017 GL Finch 2 Contents Introduction 5 Sphaeriusidae 10 Elmidae 188 Gyrinidae 10 Dryopidae 189 Haliplidae 11 Limnichidae 189 Noteridae 13 Heteroceridae 190 Hygrobidae 13 Psephenidae 190 Dytiscidae 13 Ptilodactylidae 190 Carabidae 23 Eucnemidae 190 Helophoridae 49 Throscidae 191 Georissidae 51 Elateridae 191 Hydrochidae 51 Drilidae 196 Spercheidae 52 Lycidae 196 Hydrophilidae 52 Lampyridae 196 Sphaeritidae 59 Cantharidae 197 Histeridae 57 Derodontidae 201 Hydraenidae 63 Dermestidae 201 Ptilidae 65 Bostrichidae 203 Leiodae 70 Ptinidae 203 Silphidae 78 Lymexylidae 206 Staphylinidae 80 Phloiophilidae 207 Geotrupidae 174 Trogossitidae 207 Trogidae 174 Cleridae 207 Lucanidae 175 Dasytidae 208 Scarabaeidae 175 Malachiidae 209 Eucinetidae 182 Sphindidae 210 Clambidae 182 Kateretidae 210 Scirtidae 183 Nitidulidae 211 Dascillidae 185 Monotomidae 218 Buprestidae 185 Silvanidae 220 Byrrhidae 187 Cucujidae 221 3 Laemophloeidae 221 Myceteridae 253 Phalacridae 221 Pythidae 253 Cryptophagidae 223 Pyrochroidae 253 Erotylidae 230 Salpingidae 253 Byturidae 231 Anthicidae 254 Biphylidae 231 Aderidae 255 Bothrideridae 231 Scraptidae 255 Cerylonidae 231 Cerambycidae 257 Alexiidae 232 Megalopopidae 262 Endomychidae 232 Orsodacnidae 263 Coccinelidae 232 Chrysomelidae 263 Corylophidae 237 Nemonychidae 288 Latridiidae 238 Anthribidae 288 Mycetophagidae 242 Rhynchitidae 289 Ciidae 243 Attelabidae 291 Tetratomidae 245 Apionidae 291 Melandryidae 245 Nanophyidae 299 Mordellidae 246 Dryophthoridae 300 Ripiphoridae 248 Erirhinidae 300 Colydiidae 248 Raymondionymidae 301 Tenebrionidae 249 Curculionidae 301 Oedemeridae 252 Platypodidae 328 Meloidae 252 Appendix (Mathews) 338 4 Introduction This publication is an attempt to provide as near a complete catalogue of the beetles of VC55 (Leicestershire & Rutland) to the end of 2014 as is practicable. It systematically follows the latest (2nd edition) of the “Checklist of Beetles of the British Isles, A.G. Duff 2012. Anyone who does not have this latest edition of the checklist is thoroughly encouraged to get it. The majority of the records are from the original database of Derek Lott (approx. 65.000 up to early 2011) who for many years was our county recorder and meticulously maintained this database and was personally responsible for adding just under half of the total of all the records. To try and assign some kind of evaluation to this speciose order, according to Duff 2012 a total of 4072 species have been recorded in the U.K. while approximately 2000 species have been recorded in VC55 to present date. Some of the species on our list will doubtfully ever be recorded again, mainly having been affected by the massive losses and change to their habitat. Buddon Wood is probably the one that springs to mind foremost with the loss of the woodland leading to the extinction of the wood ant Formica rufa colonies then in turn the loss of the beetles that were associated with them. However we are also in a period of climatic adjustment, which is creating not only losses but also providing new additions and range extensions, particularly from the south and west. There has been an impressive array of species added to our county list over the last few years and it looks like beetle recording seems set to continue to flourish for some time to come. We now have over 73,000 records in the database (March 2017) on first impression this does sound a lot but remember the time span of recording is well over 200 years. From the late 1700’s to present there have probably been no more than 40 individuals that have taken on the study of Coleoptera in a serious manner. 73,000 records over such a period now does not seem so high, despite the epic labours put in by those individuals. The truth is the number of species is so high, the area so large (comparatively) and the recorders so few. Despite these factors Derek was working tirelessly to assemble the VC55 Coleoptera Database and in 1995 produced the comprehensive Leicestershire Red Data Book for Beetles. Beetle recording in the county is continuing at a slow but sure pace but until we have sufficient data and the knowledge to go with it we must rely on the three indispensible publications that Derek has left us, they are (i) Red Data Book Beetles 1995, (ii) An Inventory of key species in Leicestershire and Rutland 1997 (this does not only cover beetles) and (iii) the more recent Leicestershire Coleopterists, 200 years of beetle recording 2009. The Red Data Book set out to identify which beetles are endangered or seriously declining, to gather information on threats to individual species and their habitats, also to help to promote nature conservation in Leicestershire. Stating 342 species reliably recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland since 1970 each one is given a, coded criteria of Habitat requirements, Ecology, Status and Threats plus suggestions for conservation measures. Although this publication is fast approaching 20 years old it remains the principal guide to our more delicately balanced species. The Leicestershire Red Data Book was assessed upon the then 52.000 records Derek had at the time. No other comparable work has been undertaken to date, but such vast knowledge that Derek had demands that we must trust and use this if we want to hang on to the species we have and work to secure a 5 favourable future for our Coleoptera. Habitat destruction and/or degradation, agricultural improvement and a general apathy towards invertebrate requirements are the main threats imposed on our beetles all of which need to change. 31 January 1997 Derek compiled An Inventory of Key Species in Leicestershire and Rutland. This included a list of 998 key species covering the plant and animal groups where information was currently avavilable. The bulk of this information was taken from the already published Red Data Books series. Here he wrote a comprehensive introduction to the beetle section, which I have reproduced here in full. “Beetles There are more key species of beetles in Leicestershire and Rutland than any other group. They undoubtebly represent a major resource for biodiversity within the county. Furthermore many species have specialised requiremets of their environment, which make them sensitive, to changes in management and useful indicators of environmental health. As with many invertebrates, beetles have small-scale habitats. They tend to be tied less to traditional habitats such as woodland, than to specific microhabitats such as leaf litter, a certain type of dead wood or the foliage of a certain tree species. At different stages of their life cycle they may occupy different microhabitats. For example, many soldier beetle larvae live in leaf litter, whilst the adults roam over the tree canopy. Beetles also exhibit a considerable range of dispersal abilities. The seven-spot ladybird is a highly mobile species whose British populations are reinforced every year by huge influxes from the continent. It is very good at colonising new sites, but also often disappears from sites very quickly. On the other hand, several ground beetles and rove beetles are flightless and confined to isolated sites of well-established woodland, hedgerow, heathland and grassland. They become vulnerable to localised extinction events, because they are unable to recolonize these sites. If the present trends towards habitat fragmentation are not reversed, it can be assumed these species will form the next generation of local red data book species. Dead wood species form the ecological group which is most affected by dispersal problems. Many species are confined to areas of ancient woodland and they represent the largest single contingent of the key species list. The list of key beetle species is taken from the local red data book. However, since its publication, 13 nationally scarce species have been added to the Leicestershire and Rutland list and these have been incorporated into the list of key species. Because of an increase in the number of records, seven species no longer qualify for inclusion in the red data book. These are included in the list of key species, suitably annotated. There are a large volume of records available for beetles, but some families are better covered than others. In the published red data book, local rarity was only used as a selection criteria for the better studied families.” The third publication is the informative and entertaining The Leicestershire Coleopterists 200 years of beetle hunting, 2009. This book describes exactly, who was doing what from 1782 to 1981, who they were, where they went and what they collected and much more. The Red Data Book and The Inventory of key species are both either out of print or at best difficult to get copies of, although there is a plan to get the former into a PDF format which could be made freely available. Also as there are only twenty pages concerning beetles in the “Inventory” perhaps the same could be done here. The Leicestershire Coleopterists is still available from the Loughborough Naturalists Club. 6 The object of this publication is to help provide a reference to anyone recording beetles in the county and to assign some kind of status to their records.