Saturday 30 April 2011

Beetle mania


Big and beautiful, in it's own way, well over an inch long but I'm not sure what type of beetle it is.





Perhaps I should have done some research first, as I now know this is a Common Cockchafer- Melolontha melolontha.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The cockchafer (colloquially called may bugbilly witch, or spang beetle) is a European beetle of the genus Melolontha, in the family Scarabaeidae.
Once abundant throughout Europe and a major pest in the periodical years of "mass flight", it had been nearly eradicated in the middle of the 20th century through extensive use of pesticides and has even been locally exterminated in many regions. However, since an increase in regulation of pest control beginning in the 1980s, its numbers have started to grow again.

2 comments:

  1. Wow! We found male and female stag beetles in our garden last year. Spectacular creatures and so big! So glad you found something so rare. Enjoy the continuing good weather.

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  2. seems is six of one and half a dozen of the other with this!! nice it's coming back, but what damage will they do? It is interesting to look at though, not too much of the ick factor!!!
    :)

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