Strandline Beetle in England Project

Strandline Beetles, as their name suggests, can be found under beach debris along the strandlines of some sandy beaches, and have some association with dune habitat.

This beetle was once found in multiple places on both the English and Welsh sides of the Bristol Channel, but it is now thought to be restricted to just a handful of sites on the Welsh side. Buglife has been working on this species in Wales through our  Natur am Byth! project.

The beetles are approximately 20mm long and have a very striking appearance, with their black and sand-coloured markings. The adult beetles spend their days hiding under beach debris, using natural items such as driftwood, and more unconventional items such as plastic drums and fishing crates. At night, they emerge and feed on sandhoppers and other invertebrates along the strandline.

In England, Strandline Beetles have not knowingly been seen since 2002 when they were last sighted at Braunton Burrows in North Devon.

What did the project do?

The project aimed to help us determine whether there are any remnant populations of the Strandline Beetle on the English side of the Bristol Channel. We also hoped to learn more about why the beetle has disappeared from much of its historic range over the last 30 or 40 years.

Over the project’s three year duration, Buglife surveyed for Strandline Beetles at appropriate locations in South West England in the search for any signs of a remnant population. The last three known sites for the Strandline Beetle were surveyed every year during the beetle’s peak activity season (May to October). Sadly, no Strandline Beetles were recorded.

Surveys also recorded habitat characteristics at sites where the species has not been recorded in recent years, to compare beaches where the beetle is still thriving, so that we can improve our understanding of why the beetle may have disappeared.

A literature review was also conducted to provide information on the Strandline Beetle’s habitat preferences and pressures in Europe, so that we can apply this knowledge to our English populations.

How can you continue to support the project?

Have you ever seen what might be a Strandline Beetle whilst on any of the beaches in north Devon, Cornwall or Somerset? If you have a photo of it, we would love it if you could share it with us via our Search for the Strandline Beetle citizen science project.