Green Tiger Beetle
© Peter Harvey
Jerry Bowdrey is researching into the current distribution of the green tiger beetle in the county and would be interested to hear from anyone who has seen this beetle in Essex. Recent records come from Walton-on-Naze and Colchester (J. Bowdrey, 2001), Danbury Common, Linford Sand Pit and several brownfield sites in Thurrock (Peter Harvey, pers. comm.) and Dr Peter Hammond, the Club's Coleoptera recorder has kindly provided some early records for Epping Forest, Grays and Sandon from his database. The beetle frequents sandy areas with sparse vegetation and flies and runs actively in sunshine from May to July. The predacious larvae live in vertical burrows in the ground. Please give the usual details of grid reference, site name date and recorder and any additional information that is appropriate.
The beetle will be added to the Essex Biodiversity Action Plan as a new species, on the basis of its decline in semi-natural habitats in the county and the value to a whole suite of species of management to benefit the beetle.
Records may be logged through the web site.
All contributions will be acknowledged in any publication.
To see the results of records from our survey only click this link:
Green Tiger Beetle results
