Bradycellus verbasci

There are fewer records of this species in Norfolk than Bradycellus harpalinus but verbasci is the beetle that I catch most often and in the largest numbers. That is in part because they are readily attracted to moth traps and when conditions are right they can arrive in their hundreds or even thousands.

One of the key criteria for separating this species from Bradycellus distinctus (which doesn't occur in Norfolk) is the presence of a small discal puncture about two thirds of the way down the third elytral interval, however I sometimes find this extremely hard - if not impossible - to see, especially on individuals caught in the moth trap which are often covered in moth scales.

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 3rd August 2025

2x Bradycellus verbasci, Hoe Rough (Norfolk, UK), 23rd July 2023

Bradycellus verbasci, Wendling Beck Project (Norfolk, UK), 6th September 2023

My first experience of a mass emergence was on the night of 22nd August 2016. This was shortly before I had started to seriously look at beetles but every eggbox in the trap was was covered in beetles and they were piled up at the bottom edges of the trap - I conservatively estimated 1,500 beetles in the trap. I retained one which was later confirmed as Bradycellus verbasci and although I can't exclude the possibility (likelihood?) that there was the odd harpalinus among them I reckon the vast majority were verbasci.

many Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 22nd August 2016

These were just a very few of over 2,000 caught in two traps. Intriguingly, I only caught 31 in my garden moth trap that night, so it would appear that it wasn't even an especially good night for them.

Bradycellus verbasci, Wendling Beck Project (Norfolk, UK), 11th August 2025

Bradycellus verbasci, Wendling Beck Project (Norfolk, UK), 20th August 2021

2x Bradycellus verbasci, Wendling Beck Project (Norfolk, UK), 8th September 2023

4x Bradycellus verbasci, Wendling Beck Project (Norfolk, UK), 8th September 2023

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 10th August 2023

The two commonest species of Bradycellus (verbasci and harpalinus) are easily separated from one another (but not from other similar species) by the shape of the pronotum hind angles. However there seems to be a little variation in both species and some aren't as clear as most (and sometimes when you're not looking directly down on the pronotum you can get the wrong impression). Occasionally I find it helpful to check the genitalia to make sure I'm not going wrong.

Bradycellus verbasci showing pronotum and aedeagus (4 views), North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 27th August 2025

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 18th August 2023

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 11th August 2023

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 25th July 2024

Bradycellus verbasci, Wendling Beck Project (Norfolk, UK), 21st September 2024

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 12th August 2018 (first two photos are the same beetle)

Bradycellus verbasci, Wendling Beck Project (Norfolk, UK), 15th August 2025

Bradycellus verbasci, Wendling Beck Project (Norfolk, UK), 23rd August 2024

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 26th July 2019

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 31st July 2021

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 4th August 2019

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 16th July 2020

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 8th September 2020

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 13th August 2020

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 2nd August 2024

3x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 20th July 2024

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 27th August 2025

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 29th July 2024

3x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 31st July 2024

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 27th July 2024

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 16th July 2017

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 17th July 2019

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 18th July 2020

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 19th July 2017

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 22nd August 2017

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 22nd July 2020

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 23rd July 2020

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 24th July 2021

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 26th July 2018

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 26th July 2019

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 27th July 2019

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 27th July 2018

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 30th July 2020

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 3rd August 2018

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 30th July 2018

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 30th July 2022

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 4th August 2018

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 4th August 2019

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 6th August 2018

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 7th August 2018

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 18th July 2024

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 9th August 2023

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 11th August 2024

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 7th August 2017

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 26th July 2018

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 12th August 2018

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 15th August 2017

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 29th July 2025

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 5th August 2018

2x Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 14th August 2017

Bradycellus verbasci, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 12th September 2019