News by Levels · Level 3 · Student worksheet

Survey Finds Signs of Breeding by Rare Oil Beetle in Wales

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Read the story

A 2026 survey has found short-necked oil beetle larvae at Castlemartin in Pembrokeshire, giving conservation workers evidence that the rare species is breeding there. Natural Resources Wales announced the findings on October 28, and The Guardian reported them on November 1.

The site is the beetle’s only known location in Wales, the agency says. Surveys in 2022 and 2025 found only dead adults, raising concerns about its continued presence. The beetle had previously been recorded at the site, so the finding is not its first appearance there.

The species depends on solitary bees: after hatching, larvae climb onto flowers and attach to visiting bees. They are carried to the bees’ nests, where they eat stored pollen before developing into adults.

Source: Natural Resources Wales, 2026-10-28. https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/news-and-blogs/news/patience-pays-off-for-rare-species-in-pembrokeshire/?lang=en

Read and practise

1. What did the 2026 survey find at Castlemartin?

   1. Short-necked oil beetle larvae
   2. Only dead adult oil beetles
   3. Beetle eggs but no larvae

2. How does the article place this find in the site’s history?

   1. The beetle had never been recorded there before.
   2. The species had been recorded at several other Welsh sites.
   3. The beetle had been recorded there before.

3. Which sequence describes the larvae’s relationship with bees?

   1. Enter bee nests on their own, then attach to bees, then feed on pollen.
   2. Climb flowers, attach to bees, then feed on pollen in nests.
   3. Climb flowers, feed on pollen there, then attach to bees.

Your turn

Why is the larval discovery encouraging, and how do the larvae use solitary bees?

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Read online: https://newsbylevels.com/news/rare-short-necked-oil-beetle-larvae-wales-pembrokeshire-2026/level-3/