Click-Beetles of Great Britain and Ireland: An Atlas and Natural History

Series : BRC Atlases
Publisher : Field Studies Council
Illustrations : col photos, distribution maps

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Description:

Beetles of the closely related families Eucnemidae, Throscidae and Elateridae comprise a group referred to as ‘click-beetles’ throughout this volume. The ‘click’ name arises from their ability to spring into the air, often with an audible click, a behaviour which helps them evade predation. In total, there are 84 species in Great Britain and Ireland (69 Elateridae, 8 Eucnemidae and 7 Throscidae).

The Click-beetle Recording Scheme was established in 1983, and produced the first provisional Atlas to the group in 1988, followed by others in 1990 and 1996. This new atlas totally replaces its predecessors. The distribution maps and vice-county tables separate the records into three date classes: 19th century, 1900-1979 and 1980-2019. For a few species additional more recent records are shown where there have been significant discoveries since 2019.

Individual species accounts provide a wealth of information on life histories and habitat requirements, as well as the current status and the recorded history of these beetles in Great Britain and Ireland. Advice on how to find each species is offered. Although not an identification guide as such, advice on how to distinguish similar species is provided and there are photographs of most of the species and many habitat photographs.

Customer Reviews

Our customers have given this title an average rating of 5 out of 5 from 1 review(s), Click here to add your own review for this title.

Paul D Brock on 3/18/2025 5:09:04 PM

(5 out of 5)

Click beetles are well known to many naturalists and others for their amazing ability to flip into the air. This book is more than a typical Atlas on insects. Large maps are shown, with symbols to cover records pre-19th century, 1900 to 1979 and 1980 to 2019, with occasional significant later records; these indicate how the fauna has changed over the years, sometimes expanding but all too often declining. Maps are produced for the related families Eucnemidae (false click beetles), Throscidae (throscid beetles) and Elateridae (click beetles), a total of 84 species in Britain and Ireland. Many species are well illustrated (sometimes with habitat photos and larvae in addition to adults) and the informative text includes i) names used in the literature, ii) recognition, iii) history, status, distribution and habit and iv) life history and biology.
Introductory sections before the main atlas (pp. 1-36) includes literature on click beetles, a checklist, notes on habitats and conservation, biology and ecology, pests and their natural control, recording and collection, mounting and preservation. The Atlas itself is followed by references and an index to scientific names.
This 412 page work supersedes the last Atlas produced by Mendel & Clarke in 1996 and is a significant upgrade on that work.
Many saproxylic click beetles are valuable indicators of conservation, providing evidence of a long history of habitat continuity, hence it is no surprise to see Windsor Forest and the New Forest feature strongly.
Reading the text it is evident that the author, with his museum and recording scheme background, has a great fondness of click beetles and passes on many useful tips from his vast experience searching for these insects. These are valuable to not only the coleopterist (beetle specialist) from novice to expert, who want to find or photograph particular species, but to those naturalists who wish to record or help conserve them, and/or learn more. Lavishly illustrated, this is a must have book for a naturalists library.