Currently not able to provide photo....Just been hovering the neighbours garden in hope of picking on on that beetle again (the one that pinged away). Didn't manage to find it, did manage an interesting Longitarsus sp, keyed out to L. holsaticus. However, it has a few similarities to L. quadriguttatus (i very much doubt it is this, but?). It looks to be female, who would be the best to send it off to for a once over? Also, there may be a chance i've missed a step in the key, is there anything similar...i've run it through several times and checked various other sources?
http://www.biol.uni.wroc.pl/cassidae/European%20Chrysomelidae/longitarsus%20holsaticus.htm
Any help will be much appreciated.
Regards Chris...
If not, then it's likely to be something else. But if you're sure it's a Longitarsus, then holsaticus looks quite distinctive. Never seen it myself. Steve Lane would be the man to send it to.
Looks like i may have been a bit hasty with this post. I should have compared this with a specimen of another Longitarus. Seems i've gotten the first segment of hind tarsus length wrong, it looks long, apparently not long enough. It now seems to be Phyllotera with faint spots, looks similar to P. exclamationis?...will put it through its paces again later on.
The predominant plant i was concentrating around was Russian Comfrey, there was Speedwell, Cuckoo flower and Buttercup.
Thanks for that, handy to know who to send off to if stuck...
Regards Chris...