Lochmaea suturalis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lochmaea suturalis |
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| Lochmaea suturalis, Fenn's Moss, North Wales | |
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Lochmaea
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| Species: |
suturalis
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The Lochmaea suturalis, often called the heather beetle, is a small insect found in north-west Europe. This beetle loves to eat heather plants. It's quite tricky to spot because its brownish color helps it blend in with its surroundings, like a natural camouflage.
These beetles are about 6 millimeters long, which is roughly the size of a pencil eraser. If you try to get close, they often hide by dropping into the plants below. You might only notice them when many heather beetles are gathered on the same plant.
Contents
About the Heather Beetle
What the Heather Beetle Looks Like
The heather beetle is a small insect, usually around 6 millimeters long. This is about the size of a small pea. Its body is a brownish color. This helps it hide very well among the heather plants where it lives. It's a master of camouflage!
Where Heather Beetles Live
Heather beetles are native to north-west Europe. They live in areas where heather plants grow. These areas are often open moorlands or heathlands. They spend most of their lives on or near heather.
What Heather Beetles Eat
The main food for the heather beetle is the heather plant itself. Both young beetles (larvae) and adult beetles feed on the leaves and stems of heather. This feeding can sometimes cause damage to large areas of heather.
Life Cycle of the Heather Beetle
Surviving Winter
Adult heather beetles spend the cold winter months in a special deep sleep. This sleep is called diapause. They hide in moss or fallen leaves under the heather plants. They stay there, safe from the cold, until spring arrives.
Waking Up in Spring
When spring comes and the weather gets warmer, the beetles wake up. They emerge from their hiding spots. Then, they start to feed on the fresh heather. This is also when they begin to reproduce, laying eggs for the next generation.
Flying and Moving Around
After waking up in spring, heather beetles can fly several miles. They might fly to new areas if their current home isn't good anymore. For example, they might move after a fire has burned the heather. They also move if too many animals have eaten the heather, turning it into grassland. Even in grassland, they can survive for a while, especially in tough grasses like Deschampsia flexuosa.
