COLEOPTERA > POLYPHAGA > ELATEROIDEA > Elateridae

Continuing on from the previous page, and maintaining taxonomic order, the following species are all in the Elaterinae subfamily.

Adrastus pallens is probably the smallest click beetle that I'll encounter at just 4-5mm long and a species that, in my opinion, could easily be misidentified from a photo if the size wasn't known. The head and pronotum are black, and the elytra and appendages orange-brown. The elytra usually have a darker central stripe.

Agriotes acuminatus is a little larger at around 6-8mm, again with a black head and pronotum, but distinguished by the pale brown posterior angles, sometimes with the pale portion stretching across the entire basal margin. The elytra are pale to dark brown with the base and the central sutural margins darker. The legs and antennae are entirely pale.

Dalopius marginatus is much the same size, with a dark brown to black head and dark reddish-brown pronotum with variable paler brown margins. The elytra are typically orange-brown with a narrow dark brown central stripe that broadens out at the base forming a triangular-shaped patch.

Although the current British list shows thirteen species in the Ampedes genus, I believe that only nine are generally considered. Only one is regarded as common, the remainder are either nationally scarce or rare, so I'm rather pleased that I've been able to photograph three of these species that, apart from two extremely rare all-black forms, are distinguished by their predominantly red elytra.

Ampedus balteatus is the most widespread and frequently recorded. They are around 7-10mm long with an all-black body apart from the first two-thirds or so of the elytra, which is a rich red colour. Ampedus elongatulus is a similar size, but is a scarce southern species mainly associated with old woodland. With this species, the elytra are almost completely tawny-red except for a black tip. My third is Ampedus sanguinolentus, which is another very scarce southern species that can occur either in deciduous woodland where it is primarily associated with birch or oak, but also on heaths where I believe larvae develop at the roots of heather. It's probably the best marked Ampedus species with bright red elytra that has a variable central black patch. It's slightly bigger than the other two at around 10-12mm.

Updated, May 22 (v.2)