'Under threat' beetle found in woodland in Devon and Cornwall

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Violet oil beetle. Pic: David Fenwick
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The violet oil beetle, which is described as being under threat in the UK, has been found in woodlands in Devon and Cornwall.

Meloe violaceus. Pic: John Walters
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The Woodland Trust said the beetles had been found in Bovey Valley Woods, south east of Dartmoor, and at Lavethan Wood, near Bodmin.

Larvae. Pic: John Walters
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The beetles require wildflower rich habitats such as grassland, heathland and woodland edges to survive.

Larvae on bee. Pic: Clive Turner
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Hatched beetle larvae climb on to flowers and attach themselves to solitary mining bees that come looking for pollen. The beetles are taken back to the bee's nest and eat the bee’s eggs and pollen before developing into an adult.

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