Green Dock Beetles

A great day today for a wee dauner along the stretch of the Ayrshire Coastal Path from West Kilbride to Largs. The countryside is choc-a-bloc with wild flowers and insects just now. These two green dock beetles (Gastrophysa viridula) are enjoying the spring too. The female is giving her boyfriend a lift home. Females of this species are usually a bit larger than the males, but are particularly engorged with eggs at this time of year. I found these on a dock plant on the lane leading to Hunterston Castle. The experts at identified this. A great website.