Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

More Beetlemania

Sehirus cinctusThis tiny beetle is Sehirus cinctus, the White-margined Burrowing Beetle. 4-6.5mm long. There were several on the very hairy leaves of what looks like Stachys something or other.

Adult females of this species care for their young, which is fairly unusual in the insect world. Plenty of insects provision their young, but most aren’t around to feed them directly. Wasp mothers, for instance, who feed their young with paralyzed spiders die before they see their next generation. But let’s not get sentimental. Different strategies for different folks.

These beetles can sometimes swarm on your ornamentals, but they are harmless feeders on the seeds of mint family plants, so leave them alone. And for the planet’s sake, don’t spread the poisons of pesticides/insecticides: that shit harms beneficial insects and ends up in the water and, surprise, surprise, you, too. Sehirus cinctus

mthew

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5 responses to “More Beetlemania”

  1. elwnyc

    I followed the link to see just how the mother takes care of the babies. Really interesting.

    Reply
    1. mthew

      Indeed. Why these and not so many, many other beetles?

      Reply
  2. michela caudill

    I am so pleased that you emphasize the need to avoid harmful chemicals. The use of these dreadful pesticides to create a supposed perfect garden are the cause of so many terrible problems, not just to wild creatures, but to our streams, rivers, ponds, and the earth as a whole. Thank you.

    Reply
    1. mthew

      I find it hard to believe that in 2016 people still want perfectly manicured and utterly sterile and completely poisonous green lawns.

      Reply
      1. michela caudill

        There are those who insist on a so called perfect lawn, one shorn of all supposed imperfections. Those who advocate such gardens refuse to acknowledge the beauty of a dandelion or a wild flower, are dismayed at the sight of an errant bee. You know the kind of person I am describing only to well. Nothing can convince them of the wrongness of what they are doing. The obsession with the garden without weeds and a lawn without dandelions is too strong.

        Your blog is a counterbalance to this sort of attitude.

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