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A first sighting for me

HippophaeHippophae Posts: 154
in Wildlife gardening
Spotted this large insect scurrying around hurriedly on the lawn last week. Believe it is a female stag beetle (Lucanus cervus).
At first I thought she might attempt to bite my fingers with her powerful and intimidating-looking mandibles when I gently picked her up to get a closer look, but she just froze and remained still until I returned her safely to some undergrowth where she made a hasty retreat.




Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,181
    Fantastic!  Lucky you 😊 
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • B3B3 South East LondonPosts: 24,044
    You're so lucky. We used to have loads of them, but I haven't seen one for a few years now.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • LynLyn DevonPosts: 21,137
    I’ve only seen females so far this year, hopefully a male will turn up soon.  There’s a nice picture on here somewhere of a mating pair. 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • HippophaeHippophae Posts: 154
    Found another beetle the other day. Some kind of chafer perhaps? Any budding entomologists out there who can put a name to this beetle for me?




  • wild edgeswild edges The north west of south east WalesPosts: 8,859
    That is a common cockchafer also known as the Maybug.
    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • HippophaeHippophae Posts: 154
    wild edges said:
    That is a common cockchafer also known as the Maybug.
    Thank you for the feedback wild edges!
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