Factsheet

Up close and personal with invertebrates

Activities sheet Factsheet

This time of year is perfect for getting children out doing minibeast hunt, creepy-crawly hunts, bug walks, insect safaris and invertebrate surveys. Call them whatever you like, basically, they all involve getting up close and personal with invertebrates.

For: Primary Secondary
Encountering moths

Factsheet

Here you can find out about the pure joy of creating a moth trap

For: Everyone
Getting to know your insects

Factsheet

Useful advice from an insect expert about how to get to know your insects better

For: Everyone
Bees in the curriculum

Activities sheet Factsheet Lesson plan

Children are fascinated by Honey Bees. The British Beekeepers Association seeks to build on that fascination and encourage young people to learn more about the world of the Honey Bee.

For: Primary
Beetle gallery

Factsheet

Explore the ‘Planet of the Beetles’, which have lived on Earth since long before the age of the dinosaur. Over 370,000 known species in total, see some of the most well known.

For: Everyone
Minotaur beetle

Factsheet
Typhaeus typhoeus – (family Scarabaeidae) The minotaur beetle is a spectacular dung beetle of heaths, moorlands and mountains, especially in the north and west of the British Isles. The males use the long prongs on the thorax (as seen here) to compete for females. Large males have relatively even...
Bloody-nosed beetle

Factsheet
Timarcha tenebricosa – (family Chrysomelidae) Unlike the majority of chrysomelid beetles, which are brightly coloured, often with a metallic shine, the adult bloody-nosed beetle is black. It is slow-moving and feeds on bedstraw plants. Its distinctive feature is its defensive reaction of producing...
Rove beetle

Factsheet
Staphylinus erythropterus – (family Staphylinidae) Rove beetles are characterized by having greatly shortened wing-cases with their flying wings much-folded underneath. This gives them narrow flexible bodies that allow them to chase their prey rapidly through complex spaces such as densely matted...
Black-tipped soldier beetle

Factsheet
Rhagonycha fulva – (family Cantharidae) This is probably the commonest British soldier beetle and the adults are found later than other species, in July and early August. It is usually seen on flowers where it feeds on nectar and pollen, but also robs and eats other flower-visiting insects: it can...
Longhorn beetle

Factsheet
Rhagium mordax – (family Cerambycidae) Some longhorn beetles do not have particularly long antennae – this species is one of them. Rhagium mordax is a common species in the early summer, when the adults are often seen on hawthorn and hogweed flowers. The larvae tunnel and feed in soft well-rotted...

What is Insect Week?

Insect Week encourages people of all ages to learn more about insects.

The Royal Entomological Society organises the week, supported by a large number of partner organisations with interests in the science, natural history and conservation of insects.