Another sign of Spring was finding this Black Oil Beetle on a recent visit to St Aldhelms. This is a species I've seen locally on a few occasions along the Purbeck coastline and in my Swanage garden during the first covid lockdown, but one I typically expect to see in April. So, an early March Black Oil Beetle wasn't something I was expecting to see. Thanks to Phil Saunders and Steve Morrison for saving me the hassle of trying to figure out which species of Oil Beetle this was.
There is also one of the Whiplash Rove Beetles to the left of the Black Oil Beetle. However, the photo isn't good enough to identify the species. It could be Littoral Whiplash Rove Beetle (Paederus littoralis) which has black mandibles or the very similar Paederus riparius which has yellow mandibles. Both species have been recorded on the Purbeck coastline and so trying to figure it out based on range isn't possible.