A large nocturnal and flightless leaf
beetle, Timarcha tenebricosa had not been
seen anywhere in the county since the turn of the last
century, until found and photographed (below) on an industrial estate at Strelley by Mike and Joy
Hill. With a UK distribution covering a large area of south-west
England. It becomes increasingly more uncommon the further north-east
you go, but there are a number of records from neighbouring Leicestershire and West Norfolk, but distribution is
generally very patchy away from south-western coastal areas. |