Forum home› Wildlife gardening

What is this black and orange bug?

Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Aberdeenshire/Moray coastPosts: 419
in Wildlife gardening
Hello
Found this in a stack of pots in the greenhouse I use as a store, so no plants in there
Do I snuggle it back down or is it the latest baddie from the continent that will destroy everything in its path?
Thanks

«1

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 35,376
    edited October 2020
    One of the Sexton beetles.  :)
    Harmless as far as I know, but @wild edges will advise. 
    They bury insects etc .
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • FireFire LondonPosts: 7,403
    "a baddie from the continent that will destroy everything in its path?"

    😆
  • pansyfacepansyface PEAK DISTRICT DerbyshirePosts: 17,830
    I watched one once set about burying a dead mouse. (There was nothing on telly). The next day, when I looked again, the mouse was well and truly buried.
    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 35,376
    edited October 2020
    The name is from sextons and graveyards too @pansyface, hence the name being so appropriate.
    Fascinating things.
    That's some effort burying a mouse  :D

    I first noticed one on a hill, and wild edges IDd it for me.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • BijdezeeBijdezee BPosts: 1,333
    I'm on the continent (just), and we get them. Never seen them bury anything. Next time there's nothing on telly I will keep a look out. 


  • Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Aberdeenshire/Moray coastPosts: 419
    Fire said:
    "a baddie from the continent that will destroy everything in its path?"

    😆
    It does sound slightly buggy xenophobic, but by all accounts you can't trust these Spanish slugs, Italian wasps and Dutch elms, so who knows what a multicolored beetle could do! Sounds generally harmless so far - hope so as I let it loose in the garden. Mind you, it could now freeze to death as it was probably quietly looking forward to a nice winter sleep when I turned it out of the greenhouse!  
  • SlipperyElmSlipperyElm Posts: 98
    They're good workers, 'gravedigger' beetles, aka Sexton Beetles.  They'll do no harm to  your plants.  And they are so pretty, with those red gold bands on their backs.  Don't harm them, they'll not harm you.
    That spider in your pic looks a bit weird, though 😉
  • Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Aberdeenshire/Moray coastPosts: 419
    That spider disappeared pretty quickly, though I didn't note whether the beetle dispatched it or if it took one look and scarpered! 
  • SlipperyElmSlipperyElm Posts: 98
    Sexton beetles only feed on dead insects/vermin, Stephanie, they don't kill, so your spider probably  made a run for it, just on the offchance 😀
  • FireFire LondonPosts: 7,403
    All those blasted foreigners.
Sign In or Register to comment.