Pill Beetle - Byrrhus pilula
Description
This is an all brown pill beetle with inconspicuous rows of dark and light brown markings on the elytra. The name Pill Beetle stems from the ability to retract all appendages into grooves underneath the body, feigning death in this manner and resembling a rabbit dropping
Habitat
They live among grasses and mosses and are very slow moving.
When to see it
All year round.
Life History
Believed to feed on mosses, as larvae and adults.
UK Status
Widespread in Britain, but probably overlooked at times.
VC55 Status
Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 48 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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