17 Aug, 2024

Whilst sampling the River Severn, Mike Averill reported finding one of the Riffle Beetles which has a name related to the four hairy bumps (tubercles), on their back. Macronychus quadrituberculatus

This was a nice find at a time of concerns about the health of the river, as seeing this species, which is known as a beetle requiring well oxygenated water, must be good. This is a scarce beetle in the UK anyway.

They live around riffles or gravelly shoals where the water is likely to be particularly oxygenated as they obtain their oxygen by trapping it in grooves under fine hairs 

Macronychus quadrituberculatus

Photograph by – Mike Averill