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Young Rare Beetles Found in Wales

Surveyors found young short-necked oil beetles in Pembrokeshire.

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Environment news editorial illustration for Rare Beetle Larvae Found at Their Only Known Welsh Site

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for a have its in , . The are .

in 2022 and 2025 at the . The in 2026 are a that the are .

The and on to . The them to their , they on . the on 28.

Source: Natural Resources Wales, 2026-10-28.

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Read and understand · 1/3Where were the young beetles found?

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Pembrokeshire, Wales. The first paragraph places the find in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Clue: People looking for a rare beetle have found its young in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The animals are called short-necked oil beetles.

Read and understand · 2/3What did the earlier searches find at the site?

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Only dead adult beetles. The second paragraph describes the earlier searches in 2022 and 2025.

Clue: Earlier searches in 2022 and 2025 found only dead adult beetles at the site. The young beetles found in 2026 are a sign that the insects are breeding there.

Read and understand · 3/3How do the young beetles reach the bees’ nests?

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They hold on to visiting bees.. The final paragraph says the young hold on to bees that carry them to their nests.

Clue: The young climb onto flowers and hold on to visiting bees. The bees carry them to their nests, where they feed on pollen. Natural Resources Wales announced the find on October 28.

Your turn

What did the earlier searches find, and what do the young beetles found in 2026 suggest?

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Earlier searches found only dead adults at the site. The young beetles are a sign that the insects are breeding there.

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