Lesser silver water beetle (Hydrochara caraboides)

Species information

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Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Threats

It is believed the principal threats to the lesser silver water beetle is from inappropriate ditch management, and the loss of grazing marsh leading to re-profiling of the ditches.

Conservation

The lesser silver water beetle is listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plans, and has been included in English Nature's Species Recovery Programme. As well as the UK action plans, this species is listed in at least two Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAPs) including Cheshire's 'Countdown' project and the Mendip Biodiversity Action Plan. Ponds on the Cheshire Plain have been subjects of the Pond Life Survey since 1995, and there is a comprehensive survey under way to establish the true status of the species in the county. Surveys for this species were also undertaken in 1993 and 1994 on the Somerset Moors, and the management of many of the beetles breeding ditches is now based on the conservation of this species. In the future, it is hoped that suitable breeding habitat for the beetles will be created by flooding wet woodland, producing shallow areas of water at the start of the beetles breeding season.