Invertebrates are a group of animals with out a backbone. Butterflies and moths are treated on a separate webpage. However, this webpage gives some common, some less common and some rare examples of some other invertebrates in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The invertebrates featured here are as follows:
Beetles
BeetleBeetles are the most numerous insects in the world. They live in most habitats including woodlands and in freshwater. Beetles have six jointed legs and hard wing cases which cover the back and meet in a straight line down the middle of the back. Commonly found species seen in the Yorkshire Dales National Park include ladybirds, weevils, ground beetles, water beetles and whirligig beetles.
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Bumblebees
BumblebeeBumblebees are social insects. They are not aggressive creatures and will only sting if they feel threatened. They live in complex hierarchical colonies for most of the year and then after mating the queen hibernates underground. She will be the sole survivor of the winter but will start a new colony in the spring, for example in an abandoned mouse hole. All bees have six jointed legs with transparent wings and a waist between the thorax and the abdomen – but this can be difficult to see on some species. Bees are important pollinators of many plants and fruiting trees.
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Dragonflies and damselflies
Common bluedamselflies mating
Dragonflies and damselflies are the winged adults of nymphs, which live in ponds, streams and rivers. They have very good colour vision and can fly in all directions including backwards. Their bodies are able to stand up to changes in speed and direction which would kill a human being. Their eyes are well adapted to identify prey and their legs are well adapted to grab prey in mid air. They have six jointed legs with wings about the same length as the body. They are usually more than 4cm long with short antennae and enormous eyes and they are associated with freshwater habitats. They can most easily be seen resting on vegetation near water, drifting through the air, flying along slow-flowing rivers, lakes, ponds, road verges and hedgerows between May and September. The main differences between damselflies and dragonflies are as follows. Damselflies have four wings which are more or less equal in size and shape and they rest with their wings folded lengthways along their body. Dragonflies have hind wings that are usually shorter and broader than their fore wings and when they rest, they hold their wings out from the body, often at right angles to it with their wings unfolded. Species in the Yorkshire Dales National Park include the common hawker dragonfly and the common blue damselfly.
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Lacewings
LacewingLacewing larvae and adult lacewings are predators which usually eat aphids. Lacewing adults have six jointed legs, bright green bodies, prominent, golden, metallic eyes and green veins on delicate, transparent wings. There are 14 species of lacewing in the UK. They are most easily seen in meadows, woodlands and gardens between May and August. Lacewings are thought to be present in the Yorkshire Dales National Park however formal records of sightings are thought to be scarce.
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Pond skaters
Pond skaterThe pond skater (Gerris lacustris), has six jointed legs that it uses to move across the pond’s surface. The short front pair of legs grabs dead or dying insects that have dropped onto the water, the middle pair propel them forwards using a rowing action and the back pair act as rudders. They can be found on most stretches of still or slow-moving freshwater where they can detect prey through vibrations and ripples on the waters surface and can jump to evade predators. In the autumn they fly away from water to hibernate, emerging again in late April. Pond skaters are thought to be common on suitable habitat in the Yorkshire Dales such as ponds and other small wetlands.
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Snails
SnailsSnails have no legs and a hard spiral shell. They are found in most habitats including woodlands and freshwater habitats and their diet ranges from plants and detritus to other invertebrates. Two rare species of snails are the subject of a Local Species Action Plan. For more information about rare snails in the Yorkshire Dales National Park please follow the link provided.
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Spiders
SpiderThere are an estimated 648 species of spider in the UK. Spiders have a very important role in ecosystems; they are carnivores eating other invertebrates or even other spiders. In Britain alone, it has been estimated that spiders eat more than the weight of the human population in insects each year! All spiders have 8 jointed legs and they can be found in most habitats.
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White-clawed crayfish
The white-clawed crayfish is our only native species of crayfish. It is now rare and is the subject of a Biodiversity Action Plan at a national and local level. The species was formerly widespread across much of the country in a variety of suitable wetland habitats. White-clawed crayfish prefer hard, mineral rich alkaline waters with a high calcium content which means that in the Dales, the crayfish are strongly associated with limestone areas or limestone-influenced shallow streams and deeper, slower flowing rivers. Being a nocturnal species, the white-clawed crayfish can be very difficult to see but survey work has revealed that good populations do still remain in a number of Dales watercourses. For more information on white-clawed crayfish please follow the link provided to the dedicated webpage.
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Woodlice
WoodliceWoodlice are crustaceans, related to crabs and lobsters, but are thought to have been on dry land for 50 million years. In fact, there are still some animals which live in the deep oceans that resemble giant woodlice. Woodlice have more than eight jointed legs and a hard segmented outer covering. They are often found in woodlands under logs or rocks as they like damp places and they eat dead or dying plant material (including wood), or their own droppings. There are thought to be about 40 species of woodlice in the UK. Species found in the Yorkshire Dales include Oniscus asellus.
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