25 Aug 2017

Critter of the Week: The Back Beach Beetle

From Afternoons, 3:25 pm on 25 August 2017

Back Beach Beetle, aka Bembidion (Zecillenus) tillyardi is only found in one place in the world - and it also happens to be one of this country's most beautiful beachs, Back Beach, which is part of Tahunanui Beach in Nelson.

The Back Beech Beetle is a very small, flightless ground beetle, the body is about 4 mm long and 1.3 mm wide., and is considered to be at risk.

DoC's threatened species Ambassador, Nicola Toki tellls us how these beetles live in open or sparsely vegetated sand in the high intertidal area, and their habitat is inundated by spring tides each month.

Back Beach Beetle

Back Beach Beetle Photo: Andy Macdonald