Net-winged Beetle

Summer is at an end but autumn isn't quite here yet - we're in that period where several seasons can occur in a day. Locally, this can be a low point for the flora and fauna. But today, at Old Sulehay, this duality was enriching  - the last of the summer flowers still hanging on and the first few fungi emerging - including a young and very bloody-looking Beefsteak Fungus, which was clearly being enjoyed by slugs.

The highlight of my walk was this small beetle, less than a centimetre in length, but with beautifully netted crimson wing cases. Platycis minutus is one of the net-winged beetles, a small family with only four members in the UK. It's quite scarce, but widely distributed throughout England and Wales south of the Wash. It's said the species seems to prefer well-vegetated and shaded areas on lowland chalk and limestone sites where it's associated with Beech and Birch. This seems to be the first record for Old Sulehay Forest, and is the first time I've had the opportunity to photograph it - such a handsome creature.