The snail killer

I still have a couple of beetles to key out from the autumn but I won't have time to get the microscope out until next week so this species becomes my last species of 2014.

I know I've seen these before but had never actually bothered to identify one.

This is a Black Snail Beetle Silpha atrata that came to the garden moth trap on the 31st of October (and I forgot about).

It's one of the Carrion Beetles (Silphidae) but this is apparently a snail predator rather than a carrion eater. It's elongated head (as well as shiny elytra with distinct ridges) is a give away to its identity, and has evolved (I would guess) to help it get into the shells.

It's a widespread species according to the literature and the NBN map.

Beetles have provided a whole new impetus to nature recording this year and I'm looking forward to seeing what I can find in 2015!