Sunday evening it was hot - I left the blind and the window open and settled down to read a chapter of the latest book, 'When Red is Black' by Qiu Xiaolong before sleep. Something crashed into the bedside light and madly riccoced against the inside of the shade before falled stunned (I presume) onto my bedside table. Initial thought a moth.. first glance a brown monster thingy. Exit from bed swift, oh and I shouted something very loud! Had to get a container and contain the beasty which on close inspection - though not too close - was some sort of large brown beetle of a type I had never seen before.
Come the morning lots of interest and jumping about from the children and we tried to find it on the internet before school 'large brown flying beetle' into google no joy. However after another half an hour searching I came across a neat looking website http://www.shootgardening.co.uk/. which clearly showed me what I had got. A Cockchafer Beetle or to give it it's common name 'Maybug' as there are supposed to be lots of them around in May. It amazes me that I have been gardening since I was a child and have only just seen one - how is that possible? I have seen the grubs in the soil only once before, horrible looking things but never thought to wonder what the parent looked like. I grew up in the countryside but never saw a slow worm, that I can recall, and there wasn't a badger sett anywhere near home as a child but the nearest is just 50 yards from the bottom of my garden now.
Another blotanist was discussing the rarity of sparrows, I am happy to say I see quite a few of those quite frequently so there's a plus.
Bought purple carrot seed yesterday!! Carrot that I sowed earlier is only part of a row as an animal (badger/cat/whatever) dug up one end . The garlic was dug up too and what remains looks sick. Someone said garlic was hard to grow! Something is eating the potato plants! The alliums are flowering and it's a beautiful day.
4 comments:
I've got purple carrot seed too.
When I bought it, fellow 'Blotanists' offered their opinions - sweet and tasty - absolute rubbish.
It'll be interesting to see how they work out.
We'll have to compare notes.
Esther
Interesting beetle! I've uncovered some large black beetles in the garden which I'm sure will become winged June bugs in a couple of weeks. Better in the garden than in the bedroom:).Beautiful garden by the sea, by the way!
I grew purple carrots last year. They were fun, and seemed to get less root fly than the orange ones.
Gorgeous photos on your blog!
I don't think I'd want one of these in my house!
On the other hand, its rear legs, hanging off the twig, look like old fashioned gentlemen's legs dangling in the air. Sort of like 'Father William''s.
Lucy Corrander
LOOSE AND LEAFY
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