Buglife News: Join the Search for the Strandline Beetle ( www.buglife.org.uk )

The Strandline Beetle (Eurynebria complanata) is very striking in appearance; with its black and sandy coloured patterns it is quite unmistakable. Historically the Strandline Beetle has been found scuttling along both sides of the Bristol Channel in England and Wales but sadly, the beetle’s range has declined over the last few decades and it is now classed as GB Endangered.

Strandline Beetles are approximately 20mm long and, as their name suggests, they are inhabitants of sandy beaches, usually with sand dunes. In the places where they are found they spend their days hiding underneath beach debris; making use of both natural items such as driftwood and more unconventional items such as plastic drums and fishing crates. At night they emerge to feed on sandhoppers and other invertebrates along the strandline.

The beetles can still be found at a handful of sites in Wales, and Buglife is working to support these populations through the Natur am Byth! partnership programme. In England however, the beetles have not knowingly been seen since 2002, when they were last sighted at Braunton Burrows in North Devon, suggesting that they are potentially extinct in the country.