Stagnight

We are having nightly orgies of stag-beetles in the garden.

As it gets dark, down they descend - ungainly and nearly batsized , all trailing legs and beetle wings - following the siren pheremone song of the fat, liquorice-black hornless female.

Last night there were six males scuffling and locking horns next to the waterbutt.

Today there were nine - yes NINE - happy males following their.. er whatever it is that sex-crazed beetles follow - through the summer air to the safe haven of our apple tree.

This one misjudged, bumped into my daughter and landed belly-up on the grass . However we soon turned him the right way up, and he was the cream of the crop.

A right Romeo amongst Stag beetles. I hope he found his Juliet tonight

PS If you see a stagbeetle (or more than one), remember to record it at the online record, here