Saw this fellah today - I was wondering if any entymologists can confirm my tentative ID of Dor Beetle? - big fellah - pushing an inch long
Red
Red
Interesting Beetle
- Thread starter British Red
- Start date
Yet another cracking photo Red. Not an expert opinion but I agree with your ID - Dor Beetle (Geotrupes stercorarius). Didn't its much bigger brother/sister appear in 'Starship Troopers' though?
Just saw him when he (and we) were out for a walk 
I was a little confused though because the females apparently use horse or cow dung to provide a larder and they live on lowland. This guy was in a Welsh Valley where there are only sheep........
He looked right for a Dor though so I thought I would ask (the electric blue seemed to clinch it for me)
Red
I was a little confused though because the females apparently use horse or cow dung to provide a larder and they live on lowland. This guy was in a Welsh Valley where there are only sheep........He looked right for a Dor though so I thought I would ask (the electric blue seemed to clinch it for me)
Red
Considering it's a beetle (yuck!) it's really rather beautiful. What a lovely blue gleam.
Great photo!
Great photo!
Jodie - I've found that photography really lets me get to like "crawlies". Things like wings and compound eyes are amazing up close. I think the legs are fascinating on this guy - look how the middle right one is gripping that grass stem! Thats one of the great things with a camera to me - I have seen things in photos that I miss with the "naked eye".
Red
Red
Fantastic shot Red thanks.
Can these fellas regenerate limbs? I notice that he has what appears to be new growth on his rear leg where the exoskeleton hasn't quite blackened up yet?
Can these fellas regenerate limbs? I notice that he has what appears to be new growth on his rear leg where the exoskeleton hasn't quite blackened up yet?
No idea - I notce he appear to be missing the middle left leg altogether as well (although it may be hidden from view).
Hopefully a knowledgeable person about beetles will come along......
Red
Hopefully a knowledgeable person about beetles will come along......
Red
I also presumed that the middle leg was out of shot - if not then he's a game old chuffer climbing like that whilst short of a pretty important appendage
