Insecstasy

Tonight, walking the dog in the park, I found lots of these red beetles on the 'umbals' or white flower heads of common hogweed. Many, like this pair, were mating. They are (I think - marine biologist's caveat!) The red soldier beetle, Rhagonycha fulva. The National Biodiversity Network website doesn't show many records in this area but I suspect this is due to under-recording as I have seen them here every summer for over 20 years. These are predatory beetles, feeding on other invertebrates. Apparently their mating takes a long time (lucky blighters!), which is why you often see them on flower tops like this! They also have very distinctive (and very batty) antennae which are reasonably clear in this photo!