From the macro to the micro: jewels in the sand at Dune du Pilat. The dune is home to a variety of dull & not-so-dull ๐#bugs, some of which we identified. Pyrrhidium sanguineum | the Welsh oak longhorn beetle sounds as if itโs far from home, but is actually common in much of Europe, where it prefers a supply of oak (๐ท1). Native Hylobius abietis | the large pine weevil is considered a pest on pine plantations, as they damage seedlings (๐ท2); the unsightly destruction of forest adjacent to the dune is however the result of fires in 2022 (& subsequent felling), triggered by human activity. Native Coccinella septempunctata | the seven-spotted ladybird is readily identified by counting the 3 spots on each red elytron, with the 7th spanning both (๐ท3). Native Cicindela campestris | the green tiger beetle is widespread across Eurasia (๐ท4).
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