WORCESTERSHIRE Wildlife Trust has recorded the first sighting in 30 years of a unique beetle with an exploding backside.

The bombadier beetle, brachinus crepitans, has only been seen once before in the county, at Brotheridge Green nature reserve in Malvern.

Now the trust says it has found another site, at Honeybourne, in the east of the county, which provides the beetle with the dry, sparsely vegetated open areas it prefers.

The beetle's unique feature is its ability to fire hot noxious gas out of its backside when threatened.

Meanwhile, hedges will be the subject of a talk by Wendy Johnson at the next meeting of the Malvern group of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. The talk is on Tuesday (November 6) at 7.30pm at The Chase sixth form annexe, Geraldine Close. Admission for visitors is £1, children free.