The bloody-nosed beetle: a tank on sticks

Dartmoor, Devon The beetle's forelimb seemed to give a cheery wave to the world as it scooped at thin air then arced forward

Wider than a thumbnail, almost as thick as a thumb, a black beetle with a shell like polished shoe leather was lumbering along a well-trodden path.

Striking out in slow motion for the grassy edge with a six-legged doggy paddle, this bloody-nosed beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa) gave the impression of a wind-up toy winding down. Watching this great tank on sticks was akin to seeing the open workings of a mill - a collection of mechanical parts moving in sequence to drive the greater whole.