Epuraea imperialis (Reitter) (Nitidulidae) in a Worcestershire compost heap with notes on the associated Coleoptera fauna

摘要

On 21 September 2021 a female Epuraea imperialis (Reitter) (Fig. 1) was observed in the undecomposed surface layers of a compost heap at Little Comberton, Worcestershire (VC 37 S09643 30 m a.s.l.). The compost heap has existed uniformly for 46 years and occupies a volume of 12 m~3 when it is cleared annually each September. The content is largely plant-derived with the addition of an occasional dead bird or mammal. It reflects the typical sequences of conversion to humus from the top down.