Enormous Bug!

[hurn]

Hi All!

I have just found the biggest flying beetle I have ever seen, on its back in my bath! Unfortunately I liberated it, not thinking to take a picture first!

Anyway - it was at least 5cm long and 2cm wide, bronze/brown legs and body with beautiful antennae that appeared to be feathered at the ends. There were white marks along the underside of the body towards the end of the abdomen.

Anybody any clues what it might be?

Many thanks

[oxycera]

Sounds like a Cockchafer - everyone sees them apart from me, it would seem

[SaetiaBelle]

Hello I found something like what you described too. I made a thread about it just below. Did it look like this?

[JRsbugs]

I have Cockchafers every year, they must have developed at different rates over the years as they take 3 to 4 years or longer to emerge. I often dig them up when prepearing a new bed, birds such as Starlings find them in the 'lawn' when they are near the surface but I always get some hitting the door when the outside light is on.

Cockchafer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There was two males last night, they have 7 fans on their antennae. They are very clumsy, always falling on their backs! They are only 25-30mm long but I'm sure one was more than that!

Janet

[BloomingMarvellous]

Had one in the kitchen the other night, tried taking some photo's but it scared us too much, the noise they make is incredibly loud.

[poschiavanus]

You should try mothing when they're about. I had 16 to the light the other night. I usually keep a big pot to chuck them in until I'm done as I don't like a lumbering beetle with 'L'-plates for flying banging into me just when photographing a moth.

[hurn]

Thanks! Yes the one in the picture is definitely what it was! And yes it was very noisy when it took off. I have honestly never seen a beetle that size - certainly not taking a bath!

[ellie_w]

I have had to liberate one of these from my dog every night for the last week she likes to pick them up and throw them at me (i think she likes seeing me jump)

They seem to be quite robust creatures as they dont appear to be any the worse for the dogs attentions

[Hedera]

We used to call them June Bugs, but they're a bit earlier these days. Like small helicopters - no wonder people are scared of them! They zoom round the bedroom light and crash into everything.