A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE 

 COLEOPTERA 



Beetles 



The county of Leicester is rich in Coleoptera, nearly 1,800 species being recorded. The late 

 Mr. Fred Bates, better known as an authority on the Heteromera, his brother, Mr. H. W. Bates, of 

 Amazon fame, the Rev. A. Matthews, the latter as a specialist on the Tricopteryigidae, have largely 

 contributed to make the list so complete. Following them come Mr. H. Holyoak, who first dis- 

 covered Trachodes bhpidus at Buddon Wood, Mr. J. H. Harris, of Burton-on-Trent, and in more 

 recent years the writer of this article, Messrs. H. St. J. Donisthorpe, F.Z.S., C. B. Headly, F.E.S., 

 J. H. Wooley, Rev. Canon Cruttwell, Dr. Barrow, and others have all worked hard at the county 

 distribution. 



About twelve species are confined to the county. Tetropium castaneum (since described on the 

 continent as Tetropium gabrielli, by Weise) was added to the British list by the author, and has since 

 been taken in other counties. 



Calasoma inquisitor occurs at Buddon Wood, rather more north than its normal range, and the 

 specimens are darker than those from the south. Blethisa multipunctata is very abundant at times at 

 the various reservoirs. 



Bembidium clarki and B. assimi/eare. both recorded from Thornton, whilst B. obliquum and B.flam- 

 mulatum are two of our most abundant species. Hydroporus longulus, always an exceedingly rare 

 beetle, occurs in the ditches at Bradgate Park, Hydaticus transversa/is is noted from Gumley, Hydro- 

 cbui brevis from near Leicester, Dinarda markeli, with Formica rufa, at Buddon Wood, Philonthus 

 quisquilarius var. dimidiatus has been found at all our reservoirs; the type is one of the most abundant 

 species, and Oxyporus rufus is recorded from fungi in the autumn at Bardon Hill. 



The next two species, Omalium brevicorne and O. testaceum, were added to the British list by 

 Rev. A. Matthews. Both were taken at Gumley, and, so far as we have been able to ascertain, 

 have not been taken since. Another interesting record by the same worker is the first capture in 

 England of Neuraphcs sparshalli var. minutus. Triathron markeli has been taken from under fir 

 trees by evening sweeping, at Bardon Hill. 



In the Tricopterygidae our records are strong. In Tricopteryx we have twenty-five specimens, 

 including T. fratercu/a, the only British record, T. attenuata, only taken in two other counties, 

 T. brevis^ with only one other record, T. longicornis from Market Harborough and Gumley, but not 

 recorded elsewhere ; T. jansoni three specimens (unique) from Gumley, T. guerinii, only two other 

 records, T. fuscu/a (unique) from Gumley, T. vario/osa, added to the British list from Gumley, but 

 since taken in several other counties. Ptilium rugulosum is only recorded from Gumley in England, 

 but it occurs, however, in Scotland. Ptenidum laevigatum, again, is probably the only record. 

 P. kratzn was taken by Canon Fowler at Buddon Wood out of nests of Formica rufa. This species 

 is only recorded from one other locality, viz. Rannoch (Scotland). 



Orthoperus brunnipes, also from Gumley, and according to Fowler, the only other specimen 

 known, is in Mr. Wilkinson's collection. O. punctulatus, the only example known, was taken by 

 Rev. A. Matthews at Gumley. 



Sphaerius acaroides was taken at Gumley in 1855 by Rev. H. Matthews. Scymnus arcuatus 

 was added to the British list by Wollaston, who took it out of old ivy at Shenton Hall on 24 August, 

 1872; since then it has been taken in Surrey. Pediacus dermestiodes is a recent addition to the 

 county list by the author, from the Bosworth district, Trip/ax aenea from Leicester Frith, Cryptarcha 

 imperialis from Bardon, Cerymbites aeneus on the Charnwood Forest Hills; Ax'motarsus rtificollis is 

 recorded from Sheet Hedges Wood by Mr. A. R. Wallace. As it is our only record of the beetle, 

 and the only note of the famous explorer, probably it was taken during one of the excursions which 

 he made with H. W. Bates and F. Bates before the great Amazon trip was arranged. 



Til/us elongatus and Thanasinus formicarius from Owston, the latter from a Cossus-infested tree; 

 from the same wood the author has taken Molorchus minor three times, and since in the Bosworth 

 district in numbers. 



Monochammus sartor and M. tutor are both recorded from Leicester, Phytoecia cylindrica from 

 Gumley, Stenostola ferrea from Sutton Cheney, but on the whole the county is not strong in 

 Longicornes. 



Zeugophora flavicollis was taken at Seal Wood by the late Mr. J. T. Harris. Melasoma aenea, 

 a local insect, has been found at Swithland, Phyllobrotica quadrimaculata is abundant in places where 

 the Scullcap (Scutellaria) grows, Clinocara tetratoma, Hallomenus humeralis, Phloetrya rufipei have all 

 been found in several localities ; Oncomera femorata has come to sugared trees, Brachytarsus fasciatus 

 has been found at Sheet Hedges Wood and Kibworth, Tropideres niveirostris was taken at Buddon 

 Wood by Mr. F. Plant on 9 September, 1860 ; the same collector added T. sepicola to the British 



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