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COUNTRYSIDE NEWS October 2017 Wildlife Around and About East Lothian
Every now and then I try and write about something that isn’t all that obvious or attractive, but nevertheless does an important job in nature. I mean, yes red squirrels, yes little egrets, yes orchids – it’s all fine and well, but what about the unsung heroes out there? There are a lot of wee beasties whose lifestyles play a vital role in keeping the natural world functioning as it does. A lot of these are beetles – in fact a lot of animals generally are beetles. The eminent biologist J. B. S. Haldane once (supposedly) said ‘the Creator, if he exists, must have an inordinate fondness for beetles’ - and he had a point. It’s thought that beetles make up about 25% of all animal species and new ones are being discovered all the time. There are over 4 000 species in the UK, and if they ever decide to rise up and take over, we are well and truly scuppered – so let’s show them some respect. Beetles fill just about every ecological niche you can imagine and live in virtually any habitat. Dung beetles, as the name suggests live on dung. This is not a very nutritious diet and both adults and larvae need to eat their own body weight every day. This may not Dung beetle sound too pleasant, but it does shift a lot of animal waste, which is recycled into the soil. Several of our native dung beetles belong to the genus Geotrupes and are characterised by shiny blue-black bodies, with very obvious grooves running the length of the wing cases. Their legs are stocky and have distinctive spiky edges. Despite their chunky build, they’re strong fliers and will travel long distances in the search for food. It’s worth looking out for them anywhere there is dung – North Berwick and Traprain Laws are a good bet, as the ponies there leave plenty of stuff lying around after them. If cleaning up animal droppings isn’t gruesome enough for you, then let’s consider the sexton beetle – otherwise known as the carrion or burying beetle. These little beauties are basically animal undertakers. Working as a pair, a male and female beetle will locate the corpse of a small mammal or bird and start to dig into the earth beneath. The corpse then slowly sinks into the ground and the female buries her eggs nearby. As the larvae hatch, they begin to feed on the dead animal’s flesh. Unusually for insects, these beetles seem to look after their young fairly well, rather than just letting them get on with things. Not only do the adults both feed the larvae when very young, but they also secrete chemicals which prevent fungi and bacteria from causing too much decay in the carcass. Sexton beetles are very distinctive – black with bright orange markings. Their Sexton Beetle Photo: clubbed antennae are also very obvious, and are fitted with receptors A.Marland which allow them to find rotting carcasses from some distance away. Lucky them. The lifestyles of these beetles may not appeal, in fact they might even put you off your tea, but without them we’d be up to our knees in poop, or worse.
Forthcoming Ranger Events: Hike: On the Edge. An 11.5 mile (18km) walk taking in wooded valleys and Dunbar Common. Some steep and uneven paths and tracks. Cost: £5 per person, booking essential via http://eastlothian.bookinglive.com/ranger-serviceannual-programme/hikes/