Beetles

These insects are black-and-yellow longhorn beetles and they are mating. As the name suggests, they are black and yellow with very long antennae - they don’t really have horns! They are usually found in areas close to woodland, where there is plenty of dead wood for their larvae to feed on.

The adult beetles can be spotted between May and August. They're most active in warm weather, when they visit a wide range of flowers to feed on pollen and nectar. They're particularly fond of umbellifers like cow parsley and hogweed. After mating, females lay their eggs on fallen trees and branches, or rotting stumps. The larvae live within the wood, feeding on it, for two or three years. After pupating and emerging from the wood as adult beetles, they only live for a few more weeks.
Information from Devon wildlife trust.


We saw them on a walk through Occombe Woods. As we emerged on to the main Torquay road we discovered some other Beetles. (Extra). Bird of the day was a gold crest.
Last night was a red letter night. Poetry nights started again at the Blue Walnut Cafe - now a community interest company.