When asked what could be inferred from a Creator, the eminent scientist J.B.S. Haldane replied "a great fondness for beetles!" If every animal and plant on the planet were lined up in a row, every fifth would be a beetle, and every tenth a weevil (one family of Beetle)! Beetles represent one fifth of all living organisms and a staggering one quarter of all animals. By the most conservative estimate, approximately 350,000 species have been described since 1758. That is an average of slightly more then four per day!

This website aims to enthuse everyone of all ages about these fantastic beasties as well as to act as a base for my ecological consultancy business. It is also the home of information on the Beetles of Pembrokeshire.

Latest News...

Please follow this link to the News Pages.

DPhil 2010 Fieldwork Season progressing well

My 2010 fieldwork season Kicked off to a hectic start in April and I haven't really caught my breath since! I now have a number of fieldwork trials running looking at the impact of cattle wormers and alternative products marketed for parasite control on dung invertebrates and dung decomposition.

 Other trials look at how important it is to maintain species diversity of dung beetles in order to ensure maximum dung decomposition. If some of our dung beetle species became extinct (many are well on their way), would we see mounds of un-decomposed dung, or would other more common species componsate? Please follow this link for more information on my doctoral research.

'Basil The Beetle's Scary Adventures' book launch at the AES's 75th Anniversary

Written by Sonia Copeland-Bloom (Mum of Orlando Bloom), this superb children's book is about the adventures of Basil the Beetle and his wife Betty, as they negotiate the hazards of beetle life in the garden. The book is aimed at children of primary school age and their families. In addition to the fictional story, the book contains information on beetles and other insects, and covers how to look after beetles as pets, and where to obtain pet insects.

Sonia very kindly incorporated a number of my images of beetles in her book and we hope to work together in the future promoting the book as well as getting kids interested in creepy-crawlies.

The book is available to buy on the Amateur Entomological Society's website for a fabulous price of £4.50 (£3.50 for members).

Forthcoming Events...

Showreel on its way!

Although rather delayed due to a hectic early fieldwork season, work is due to start on my showreel this coming friday (16/07/10). Being produced by Burning Gold, with music by Andrew Holcroft, I hope this TV curriculum vitae will soon be available to watch on the website.

Interview on BBC Radio Wales

On the Monday of the Royal Welsh Show, live from Builth Wells, I will be interviewed for the Jamie & Louise morning show. 9am-12pm Monday 19th July 2010.

All About Beetles Blog

Please follow this link to Old Blog Entries

30/06/10 - Edward Cross, Norfolk

Q. Hi Sarah. I am a farmer from Norfolk and manage a good quality, permanent pasture wildlife site. I have an agreement with our graziers that they will not use Ivermectin. Normally we have rapid cattle dung degradation but since Feb I have noticed dung has not been broken up. There is almost no insect life in it (though there are a few mites), whereas generally in the past, flies were almost immediately on dung and it was quickly riddled with holes looking more like a pepper-pot!! The graziers used Cydectin in July 2009. I have a photo taken earlier that month of a thoroughly holed dung, so I know that up until that time there was healthy insect activity (sorry, but I do not know much about what dung beetle activity there was). I therefore wonder if the cydectin treatment may have damaged the insect populations and they have not recovered yet. Is that possible? Also, I would appreciate your comments on whether cydectin and other avermectins would be best avoided? We used to use levamisole when we had our own cattle. I would greatly appreciate a response, thank you.

Please follow this link to the reply

09/06/10 - Jazmine Miles-Long, Herstmonceux

Q. I am a Taxidermist and have recently been studying an owl that was hit by a car in Windmill Hill East Sussex BN27 when investigating the stomach content I found some beetles that Irecognize from the area but I have no idea what they are called and can't seem to find any information or images on the internet and wondered if you could help me to identify them? they are black about 27mm in length including the two spikes out the front of the head like horns, they are not pincers like a stag beetle but smoothly attached to the head I can email a photograph if it helps? My Dad thinks they are some kind of wood beetle but that hasn't got me very far in finding out more. Thank you for your help.

A. This is the remnants of a Minotaur Beetle (Typhaeus typhoeus) one of the UK's most spectacular dung beetles.

28/05/10 - Lee Peters, Chipping Sodbury

Q. I found the most peculiar-looking beetle outside my back door this morning! I can't seem to identify it so I took some pictures. Is it possible to email you the pictures I've taken for your assistance in identifying it please? Many thanks.

A. It is a cockchafer, latin name Melontha melontha. The aren't rare but pretty spectacular!

 To send a question or a comment for the blog, please fill in the form on the contact page.

Quick Site Navigation

Just a few pointers to help you find your way around the site:

→For British beetle species photographs and a image-based identification guide, look under the 'Beetle ID' drop-down menu or click here.

→For general information on beetles, click on 'Beetles' on the menu bar or click here.

→For information on other insects, look under the 'Invertebrates' drop-down menu and click on 'Insect Orders'. You can then follow the links to the group that you are interested in or click here.

→For photograph galleries of beetles, other insects, landscapes and people from Pembrokeshire, Zambia, South- and Central America, look under the 'About' drop-down menu and click on 'Photography' or click here.

Please email me if you think that any of the information on the site is difficult to find and I will point you in the right direction.