2020 November 15

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  On November 9  (morning) we posted a picture of a curious creature photographed by Ian Cooper, which I tentatively (and utterly wrongly!) suggested might be a dipluran.

   Further photographs by Ian show the lack of long antennae, and the obvious external mouthparts, either of which  which rules out Diplura.  It is in fact, as verified by coleopterist Charlene Wood, the larva of a beetle.  Charlene needs to see such microscopic details as the tarsal claws to go further, though she thinks perhaps Carabidae or Staphylinidae.

 

Beetle larva (Col.: Staphylindae?  Carabidae?)  Ian Cooper

 

Beetle larva (Col.: Staphylindae?  Carabidae?)  Ian Cooper

 

   Jeremy continues:   Longtime viewers of this site may recall that I have from time to time questioned the exact identity of our Erannis moths.  I am still very anxious to pursue this.  I don’t want one to be killed specially for the purpose, but if any viewer finds a dead one (it needn’t be in excellent condition) please save the specimen for me.  They are usually abundant, and dead specimens are sometimes noticed in spider webs, or trapped inside a building.  So far this year I haven’t seen one at all, dead or alive, but they will surely be apparent in the next couple of weeks or so.