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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

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.


3 comments:

  1. Coincidentally I spotted my first Garden Chafer a couple of days ago, which is about half the size of the Cockchafer but with similar behaviour by the sound of it - making many crash landings!

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  2. Love the picture of the beetle.

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  3. hi Rob.
    did you hear any noise from the wings? Or would that only be with the bigger Cock Chafer.
    Found some interesting facts on the soil conditions regarding Garden Chafer or Rose Chafer as it is called in Dutch:
    http://www.insectconsultancy.nl/english/rozekever.html

    Crow, Thank you. I was amazed how close I was able to hold the camera. Or my wheels. It is a delicacy for Rooks, so it would do well tostay away from here. Mind, it wuold be a good meal even for a bird that size.

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