Violet click beetle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Violet click beetle |
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The violet click beetle (Gambrinus violaceus) is a small, black beetle. It is about 12 mm (0.5 in) long, which is roughly half an inch. This beetle has a slight blue or violet shine on its body. It is called a "click beetle" because it can spring into the air with a clicking sound if it lands on its back. This helps it to flip over. You can find these beetles in Europe.
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What Does the Violet Click Beetle Look Like?
The adult violet click beetle is long and thin. It measures about 12 mm (0.5 in) in length. Its body has many tiny marks on its upper back, which is called the pronotum. It also has lines running along its wing covers, known as elytra.
The pronotum is a greyish-black color. The elytra are black with a beautiful purplish shine. Young violet click beetles, called larvae, are whitish. They look a bit like mealworm grubs.
Where Do Violet Click Beetles Live?
The violet click beetle is a very special insect. It lives only inside very old, decaying trees. These beetles need undisturbed wood-mould, which is like soft, rotted wood, found at the bottom of hollow parts of ancient trees.
In Britain, these beetles have been found only in old beech and ash trees. Because they need such a specific home, these beetles are very rare. Even in places where they are found, there are not many suitable trees left.
One important host tree in Windsor blew down in a big storm in 1987. But people put it back up! They did this just to keep it as a home for the violet click beetle. Conservation groups are working hard to create more suitable trees for these beetles. They even put up more decaying trees and help some trees age faster. Windsor Forest is a very important place for insects that live in old, decaying wood.
In Hungary, the larvae of these beetles live in wood mould inside hollow Turkey oak trees. They also live in similar spots in lime, ash, and maple trees.
Why Is the Violet Click Beetle Important?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the violet click beetle as an Endangered species. This means it is at a high risk of disappearing forever.
This beetle is protected by laws in Europe and the UK. It is found in only a few places across Europe. In Britain, it lives in just three known locations:
- Windsor Forest (first found in 1937)
- Bredon Hill in Worcestershire (found in 1989)
- Dixton Wood SSSI in Gloucestershire (found in 1998)
The "Back from the Brink" project is a special effort to save species like the violet click beetle from extinction in Britain.
Images for kids
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A violet click beetle on a leaf.
