Sunday 8th: Just after midnight, I sat down in the study and then a "thwack", in the half-light I saw something on it's back waving its legs in the air..! A rather large beetle too, but what type? I've never seen anything like this before. A quick search of reference books by Mel and the beastie was identified. It is called a Cockchafer Beetle (Melolontha melolontha) and sometimes called the "May Bug", as it emerges from it's larval stage in the soil during the later part of April to early May. Much bigger than your average beetle, it has these extraordinary antennae, rather like antlers. This one as can be seen on my hand has seven "prongs" on each antennae indicating that this beetle is a male. The females have six.
Although the pointy-thing at his rear looks quite menacing, this beetle is in fact quite harmless. Starlings, Rooks and Crows are very partial to the grub or larval stage of the beetle and will dig at the ground with their long and strong beaks in search of them...and anything else that they may find. I must admit that as he walked over my hand and up my arm, the beetle had a firm grasp with it's pincer-like feet! I could feel every movement on my arm as he lifted each of his six legs! After taking several photos of this little-seen, but fairly common beetle we placed him on a plant stem outside where we assume he will find a mate!
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