Chafers' Timing Gone To Cock

We had a reunion of "The Three Amigos" this evening. Lovely to see our swimming friend Sandra from Suffolk for our retiring swimming teacher's presentation. We walked into a swarm of bugs as we left the pool around 9.00pm. I rushed to get my camera and people were asking what they were. I ventured maybe cockchafers which caused merriment amongst the young footballers. :)

Actually it is too late for cockchafers, also known as May bugs. It's too late for summer chafers, also known as June bugs too but that's what they were, looking for mates. Their scientific name is Amphimallon solstitialis, they usually appear around the summer solstice. Not a very good pic but I have posted as I was interested, never seen one before.

I got a better photo of the first 'birthday beetle', our name for the common black ground beetle, I have seen indoors this season. My daughter was born at home on June 22nd and black beetles appeared on that day. They're around three weeks late this season too.