Stenus bimaculatus
Length: 6-7mm. This is one of six similar UK species which have 2 yellow spots on the elytra, though only four have so far been recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland. It has bicoloured legs with the black merging gradually into the yellow. It also has a short central keel on the basal tergites (the first below the elytra).
See ID Aids below.
Legs bicolored
Legs all black
Black to yellow on legs
Central keel on basal tergites
VC55
Stenus kiesenwetteri
Yes
Sharp division
NO
Stenus guttula
Yes
Sharp division
✔
Stenus bimaculatus
Yes
Gradual division
Yes
✔
Stenus biguttatus
Yes
NO
Stenus comma
Yes
✔
Dianous coerulescens
Yes
✔
It forages in open but damp habitats
Most often seen in spring and summer.
It is a predator of Springtails and like many Stenus species, it has adapted mouthparts to help it catch and hang onto its prey.
Widespread and fairly frequent in England and Wales, less common further north.
Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 179 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.
David Nicholls
Narborough Bog NR
02 May 2009
Mark Skevington
Charnwood Lodge
01 March 2020
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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MAP KEY:
Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015
UK Map
Species profile
- Species group:
- Beetles
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
- Order:
- Coleoptera
- Family:
- Staphylinidae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 4
- First record:
- 30/09/1987 (Derek Lott)
- Last record:
- 01/03/2020 (Skevington, Mark)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
10km squares with records
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