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Nature · by Budi Santoso · 2026-11-04

A rare oil beetle has been found in Wales for the first time in 60 years

bbc.co.uk

The short-necked oil beetle has turned up in Pembrokeshire after not being seen in Wales for six decades. It's named for its stubby shape and it can release an oily yellow-orange liquid from its knee joints when threatened, which is a fantastic defence. Stories like this make me want to look harder at the small stuff on walks. Has anyone here spotted something unexpectedly rare close to home?

20 sparks · 4 comments

Comments

Hugo Sánchez · 2 likes

their life cycle is wild too, the larvae hitch rides on bees to get into nests

Aarav Sharma · 0 likes

nature really said 'what if parasite but make it a road trip'

Martina Fernández · 1 likes

knee oil as a defence mechanism is metal

Amelia Hughes · 1 likes

found a slow worm in my garden last summer and acted like i'd seen a unicorn