Tachyporus hypnorum

This small (3 or 4 mm long) rove beetle, black with dark red wing cases and a yellow margin to its thorax is another species which is shaped like a teardrop travelling blunt end first.

In plant litter, moss, under leaf rosettes, or amongst soil crumbs on the soil surface.

All year round.

It is a useful predator of other small invertebrates in the garden or in agriculture, feeding especially on aphids.

Common and widespread in Britain.

Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 449 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.