The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

Unusual garden visitor

23 comments


Whilst I was gardening this afternoon, clearing up flattened plants and picking up fallen twigs following the very strong winds we have had in the past 48 hours, OH came out with a cuppa for me and called out “Shirl, come over here, quick!”.

Thinking he had seen some movement in the pond, as he was standing close to it, I was more than surprised to see this Stag Beetle trying so hard to climb up the smooth sides of the pot.

We have seen them in the garden over the years …

He/she was really struggling to get a hold and just kept slipping down … I got some kitchen roll and placed it below him/her … the plan worked and it fell onto the paper … upside down though … one quick flip of the paper by me and it righted itself! …

Not wanting it to become food for a bird, I put it over on the log pile in the hope it would stay safe. It certainly is well camouflaged there!

I checked to see if all was ok an hour after moving it … and was surprised to see it had only moved about a couple of inches … probably in shock after the traumatic time it had been through!

More blog posts by shirley_tulip

Previous post: Working 9 to 5

Next post: More auction bargains



Comments

 

Amazing! Well captured Shirley! :D

9 Jun, 2012

 

Shirley although these look like mini beasts they are in fact amazing creatures, they take five years to mature into an adult and then when you see them they are looking for a mate, then they die! Ahhhh. hopefully yours found his mate.

9 Jun, 2012

 

Haven't seen one of those for years. A nice find in your garden Shirley :o)

9 Jun, 2012

 

Karen, isn't it strange that I can get close up to this, yet a spider sends me running ... lol!

Gm, I checked back to see when I posted a blog about Stag Beetles, it was July 2010 and I remembered you commenting on their mating before they die ... how sad for them! ... :o(

Hywel, it's a good job Megan didn't find it ... although I'm not sure if she'd have played with it or run away! ... :o)

9 Jun, 2012

 

Sorry if I repeated myself!!! Lol. but it is sad :~)

9 Jun, 2012

 

What a find, have only ever seen one here in Hampshire, like you no problems with these but spiders, now that is a different story!!

9 Jun, 2012

 

Shirley, this is very useful bug. I know, you know :)
Is it also protected by law in the U.K. as in Slovakia? It is the largest bug in Central Europe and it is also an indicator of environmental pollution. Where it appears, you can be sure, that with the nature it is not so bad :)

9 Jun, 2012

 

How fantastic, lucky you. I'd love to have seen it. Bugs of just about any kind don't bother me, except...Daddy Longlegs (Craneflies) they give me the screaming abdabs.

9 Jun, 2012

 

Shirley, their larves develop for several years in old wood, which they consume. Then they live only few weeks. They are most active in June and July. Therefore I do not throw all wood from my garden, I always leave some pieces there.

9 Jun, 2012

 

Gm, I hope my comment didn't sound rude! ... I just meant that I remembered that fact ... :o)

Lol, Dotty, perhaps it's because spiders move so fast that I don't care for them at all! ... I'll happily let a Ladybird walk across my hand ... slowly! ... :o)

Katarina, I have had a log pile in the garden for about ten years, pretty sure it is home to many bugs and beetles ... Stag Beetles are a protected species and have been in decline since the 1940s because of the loss of habitat - areas of dead wood where they lay their eggs ... they are now more common in London and the SE of England ... :o)

Waddy, now I'm thinking of Autumn evenings with the door open, lights on and Crane flies coming in ... yuk! .....

9 Jun, 2012

 

He/She is beautiful - I have never seen one of these, thank you for sharing these lovely pictures :)
Judging by the comments above - I will probably have to make do with pictures posted here on GOY!

9 Jun, 2012

 

What a lucky find! This is a really grand one. There is a log pile at Kew that was supposed to be home for them but I didn't see any - if they pass most of their lives as larvae that explains it.
We saw one once on Exmoor but never since.

9 Jun, 2012

 

I haven't seen one of these for ages and ages. Lucky you, Shirley, and lucky bug to have a helping hand to sort out his predicament :)

9 Jun, 2012

 

Scottish, you're welcome ... definitely not an everyday sight in the garden! ... :o)

Steragram, I have been reading up on them and a few years ago, in Bournemouth, there were 12 of them flying around in one garden ... all looking for a mate! .......

Gee, I did wonder if I should have moved it at all, but it was pitiful to watch it struggling to get a hold! ... With another afternoon of constant rain today, I'm hoping it's found somewhere dry in the log-pile! .......

10 Jun, 2012

 

What a very handsome creature, do hope he/she has recovered from her ordeal now ;0)

10 Jun, 2012

 

I shan't be checking on it today, Pp, rained all afternoon and no sign of it stopping yet ... :o(

10 Jun, 2012

 

I'm the same Shirley, can't stand spiders near me, especially indoors, but nothing else bothers me.When, Hubby says, its more frightened of you, that doesn't seem to help.When they are in the bedroom, I can't sleep until its gone. One dropped onto the bed once and I have visions of it crawling over me in the night! Can't say I've seen one of these beetles though.

10 Jun, 2012

 

Jaaj, Rose, I would screaaaaaaaaam too!

11 Jun, 2012

 

Rose, I had to lift up the outdoor drain cover today (don't ask!) and there was a huge spider lurking around the drain ... you've never seen a cover go back on so fast! .....

13 Jun, 2012

 

Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaj! :))

13 Jun, 2012

 

I hope it stayed outside Shirley!

16 Jun, 2012

 

It wouldn't dare cross the threshold, Rose ... lol!

Eight days on from posting this blog ... OH and I have just spent 5 minutes watching it (assume it's the same one!) flying around in the twilight ... quite a sight to see! .......

17 Jun, 2012

 

Wow!:-)

22 Jun, 2012

Add a comment

Featured on

Recent posts by shirley_tulip

Members who like this blog

  • Gardening with friends since
    15 Jan, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    2 Nov, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    27 Sep, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    6 Jun, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    27 Dec, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    25 Jul, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 Aug, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 May, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    18 Sep, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    16 Feb, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    3 Sep, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Jul, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    20 Apr, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    14 May, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    14 Apr, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    22 Jun, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    30 Dec, 2011

Garden centre