Bloody Big Beetle

 

This is not a great photograph because (a) it was taken at night and (b) this is quite possibly the biggest beetle I have ever seen outside of an exhibit at the Natural History Museum.  It was relaxing in the pool doing lengths when John saw it.  We don't know whether it had flown into the glass conservatory doors and ended up in there - the thought of something that big flying fills me with dread because I can cope with most things but not things that fly at me.  It has taken me some time to find out exactly what it is but I have been reliably informed that it is a Rhaesus Serricollis or more commonly 'Ugly Bugger'.  These beasties live on rotting wood which started to make sense...

Back in 2012 when we first had our log burner John was cutting some carob logs which had a big hole in it and we could see something was inside - it was this grub which was not unlike the witchetty grubs they make people consume on I'm a Celebrity.  It was ENORMOUS - the size of John's middle finger - we unceremoniously lobbed it into the field next door.  We had no idea what it was or what it would grow into but we do now!!!  We are just hoping that the mature one we found in our pool was not living in our woodstore because it would be pretty decimated by now.

So this is the size we are talking about.  It would have given Michael Phelps a run (or swim) for his money I can tell you and like junior it was unceremoniously lobbed into the field next door.  We try not to kill anything if we can help it but we don't want to adopt everything we find in our garden!!!

I am surprised that the cats didn't discover it but am rather glad they didn't because I can imagine one or other of them trying to eat it.

All this happened late last night so after all that excitement I was rather pleased that we had the day to ourselves today - Mum is coming up tomorrow for a change.

We actually didn't get up until nearly 11.00am which is unheard of and then spent the day just doing nothing much.  It was incredibly hot and John had put some super treatment into the pond after last night's visitor so we couldn't swim.  We were lucky enough to have leftovers from last night to eat so I didn't even have to think about cooking which was a result - a quick ping and we were enjoying some Asian Chilli Beef , Hasselback Potatoes and Roasted Red Peppers stuffed with Moroccan Cous-Cous and Halloumi - DELISH!