Dorcus parallelopipedus

Following on from my earlier post regarding beetles, I found a female Lesser Stag Beetle in the downstairs shower room last night. Quite impressive it was as well. It's easy this beetling lark......

Beetles

I have always been fascinated by these insects, particularly Ground Beetles, but the lack of practical knowledge coupled with the lack of affordable and available up to date literature has always put me off a bit. However I stumbled across the website of The Watford Coleoptera Group t'other day and had a very helpful and encouraging e mail from one of their group Dave Hodges, which has made me want to do something about it. It's a great site and well worth a visit.

Stuff

The Dorset trip report has been started but heaven only knows when I'll get to finish it. So, so busy at the mo with work and family and it's been so long since I ran the moth trap I can't remember how to switch it on!! For those interested in Dorset here are some potted highlights -

Grizzled Skipper
Dingy Skipper
Small Blue
Adonis Blue
Marsh Frit
Glanville Frit (more about that later!!)
Fox Moth
Mother Shipton
Forester
Blown Ford Focus Engine
Sand Lizard
Slow Worm
Dave being sick behind my car Sunday morning (and the bloke whose house he was throwing up outside bringing him a glass of water!!)
Golden Ringed Dragonfly
Pyramidal Orchid
Common Twayblade
Bird's Nest Orchid
Other Orchid type things
Manx Shearwater
Little Owl
Puffin
Crab sandwiches for breakfast
Burnet Moths
Guided tour of the ringing garden at Portland (Andy was very excited by this)
Tree Pipit
Other dragonflies

Erm...........think that's about it!!

Dorset

A fabulous weekend for all the right reasons but a shocker for all the wrong reasons which ended with us coming home in the small hours with my Focus being on the back of an AA truck and it needing a new engine. Andy was the star of the show with his AA membership but we still had to pay for the lift home!! Will post details of the birds, butterflies, moths, reptiles, orchids and dragons in the next day or so but thanks to Andy for his AA membership and credit card and to both him and Dave for their incredible patience...............