What Insects might you find in a hedge?

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Insects

BEETLES/WEEVILS

Beetles are the most successful of insect orders, adapted to a great variety of ecologiacl situations. They are successful because of the consevation of their body water.Their main characteristic is the modification of the first pair of wings into hard, horny wing-cases or ‘elytra’ which protect the membraneous second pair of wings which are folded flat under them.

Devil's coach horse or cocktail beetle

Earwig - Common

Green tortoise beetle

Rose chafer

BEETLES (BARK)

Beetles are the most successful of insect orders, adapted to a great variety of ecologiacl situations. They are successful because of the consevation of their body water.Their main characteristic is the modification of the first pair of wings into hard, horny wing-cases or ‘elytra’ which protect the membraneous second pair of wings which are folded flat under them.

BEETLE (COMMON WOODWORM Anobium punctatum)

They love a temperate climate such as in Ireland and are not found in the tropics. Called Common furniture beetle. Found in old hedges and inside houses in joists and floorboards particularly. It varies in length from 2.5 to 5.0mm and in colour from a light reddish-yellow through dark brown to red. Each wing-case has nine longitudinal rows of dark-coloured spots whichare in reality pits in the surface. Soon after mating, the female seeks egg-laying sites, such as crevices and wood joints.

BEETLE (ELM-BARK)

Has two generations a year. The female first bites out a mating chamber and after being fertilized, she makes another short (2 to 6 c,) but wide nursery tunnel along the edge of which she lays her eggs. The larvae then bite extensive tunnels, longer than the one made by their mother. The hibernating larvae produce the first generation in May. They first fly to the tree tops and feed on the new tender shoots.

Seven-spot Ladybird

These are the best known beetles. They are very beneficial in the garden as they eat aphids, both as adults and larvae. The family Coccinnellidae had 3,500 species. The top surface is hemispherical whilst the undersurface is flat. The head is partly concealed beneath the prothorax and the last three segments of the antennae form a club. The legs are short and retractible beneath the body.

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