Hygrotus nigrolineatus

Today we had a detailed Water Beetle training session with richard Chadd and I took along a few of the species I needed to confirm and also a batch of Hydroporus I needed to get a bit more familiar with.

I managed to confirm 3 specimens as Hygrotus nigrolineatus which is a Nationally Scarce A beetle. The specimens I took were from Upton and Wilsons Pit, but John also mentioned he may also have taken one from Titchmarsh.

The species was first found in Kent in 2003 but since this time has spread across England but is more often found in the Midlands. It is associated with recently created still waters with minimal vegetation. The Upton sample was taken from an ephemeral pond over mud and at Wilsons Pit on the recent scrape.

They are an extremely distinctive and pretty beetle although there are a few in the family they can be confused with. For me they looked flat rather than globose and therefore went down the wrong side of the key but after using a micrometer in the microscope it was confirmed.

Nice to know a recent visitor to Britain is at home in the Nene Valley and not causing any adverse effects.