Ring of fire

What else is there to do on a dark, wet and cold evening except crack open a tube of light caught beetles from the fridge and identify a few?

I seem to have avoided water beetles by dint of me only ever having stuck a net in water a couple of times. The ones I do see are the ones that come to light but diversity is normally low. However, on the really hot August nights this year there were several news ones turning up that I'd not encountered before.

First up were several of this rather elongated beetle with a slightly reddish coloration. Liopterus haemorrhoidalis. At 7mm it's pretty easily recognisable and goes by the common name The Piles Beetle. I shit ye not! I guess the specific name derives from the beetle's colour but then someone decided to have some fun. Fair play to them, this one's name will forever be ingrained in my memory.

There were also several species of the genus Hygrotus.

Firstly the common H. impressopunctatus. This species is really strongly punctured and the elytra look quite gnarly under the microscope. Length wise it comes in at a respectable 4.8mm.

This next individual was a little larger at 5.1mm and had much more subtle punctures and a slightly more elongated shape. I think this might be H. parallellogrammus which is species often associated with brackish water although there are quite a few records from inland water bodies. One to get checked at some point.

This other species was much more diminutive at 3.7mm and is H. nigrolineatus.

Other new (for me) water beetles included this Ilybius fuliginosus, another really common beetle but not one I'd come across before. You can see the yellow flashes down the side of the elytra that helpp distinguish this species.

Last but not least was a new species of Enochrus, and one that was easy to ID. The black head in contrast to the pale pronotum and elytra make this E. melanocephalus.

I must say that apart from the dreaded Hydroporus genus I'm slowly beginning to warm to water beetles. It's even got to the point where I can feel a possible effort to be made next year on this group, especially now that I have a net sat in the garage not doing much...

After the opening beetle there could only really be one song to accompany this post....