Oil Beetles are fairly common along the Dengie Coast and have been recorded between Bradwell Marina (TL995078) and Burnham Wick (TQ965955). They appear in March and April and the first this year (5) were seen on March 14th at Sandbeach Outfall (TM033063). All those identified so far appear to be Black Oil Beetles Meloe proscarabaeus, which is thought to be the species depicted on one of the photographs on the picture accompanying this note. The second photo shows oil beetle larva 'mugging' a solitary bee; indeed they clung to it in such numbers that they defeated their own purpose by rendering the bee incapable of flight! The larvae are parasitic in the nests of a few species of solitary bee but according to the Buglife website they attach themselves to any such bee (more or less) which settles near them and it is pot luck whether they choose the right species! Both photos were taken by Steve Wilkinson along the Dengie Coast. The maximum recorded on any one day was 26 in April 2004 between Bradwell St Peter's (TM032082) and Marshhouse Outfall (TM033045).
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