Black Oil Beetle - Meloe proscarabaeus
During our walk in the summer along the Gower coast from Oxwich to Pitton Cross we came across 3 Black Oil Beetles, Meloe proscarabaeus . I often found them at this time of year along this stretch of the Welsh coast. The cliff top path is flanked by wide and unimproved grass verges dotted with gorse and wind structured blackthorn shrubs. Maybe the path itself allows easier overs action of these weird looking beetles, but once seen it’s difficult to ignore the large black lumbering insect going about it’s business of ensuring the survival of the next generation. It’s common name of Black Oil Beetle is very apt, as they are black, but when the sun hits the body it can have a blue-violet sheen. Whilst this doesn’t make it a beauty, it does add it’s its charisma. M. proscarabaeus has a roughly square-shaped thorax, which has an almost square base with a very small rounded tooth at it’s base. It is these characteristics of the thorax that helps to differentiate it from ...