Common Cock Chafer on my wall.

This large Beetle I spotted on my outside wall this morning. First I'd spotted it very early, before I went out again at around 8am, with my camera, intend on capturing it. It was still quite dark and dull, so flash was needed, as well as my lens. At first I thought it was a large Moth, until, when a friend came to pick me up, pointed it out to Francis. He immediately recognised it as a Meikeveras he knows it in Dutch. It translates simply as May-Beetle. Googling this and then the latin name, directed me to this site telling me that it is a Common Cock Chafer, family of the Dung Beetles, (Scarabaeidae)

Common Cock Chafer, Melolontha melolontha.




We concluded that this one looks as if it had just collided with, and then pasted itself onto te wall. Cladia and I read later that it often crashes into lighted windows, so I guess this position is not unfamiliar to it. Somehow, the name (cock) Chafer sounds very familiar. Did I perhaps see another one in the recent past? I'll have to check.

Common Cock Chafer, Melolontha melolontha.



And two others which were wondering what I was doing down here in front of the wall:
One of the two male Chaffinches, Fringilla coelebs



And while the Beetle was very quiet and sitting still, these were showing off its reportoire and making a racket.