Bloody nosed beetle larva, Timarcha tenebricosa
Bloody nosed beetle larva, Timarcha tenebricosa (submitted by NaturePlus user alanjbennett)
Timarcha tenebricosa is Britain’s largest leaf beetle. If threatened, the beetle exudes a drop of bright red fluid from its mouth. Its larvae are large and black, with a shiny blue or green metallic sheen.
The larvae can sometimes be spotted hanging from the leaves of bedstraw plants, such as cleavers, Galium aparine, and Lady’s bedstraw, Galium verum, which they eat.
