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A very strange insect...

bambam · 2004-07-08 13:16:55

Hard to decide where to post this, but here goes I came accross a strange insect recently at my girlfriend's house in Meath. I haven't seen anything like it before, I was wondering if anyone else had seen anything similar? Strange thing was, when I mentioned it to a friend, he said he recognised it from seeing a similiar…

08-07-2004 1:16pm

#1

bambam

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Hard to decide where to post this, but here goes

I came accross a strange insect recently at my girlfriend's house in Meath. I haven't seen anything like it before, I was wondering if anyone else had seen anything similar? Strange thing was, when I mentioned it to a friend, he said he recognised it from seeing a similiar one in Killester...

Photos are at
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/rooneyp1976/my_photos
Please excuse the quality, I'm new to the whole macro thing.

Here are some details:
It is slightly smaller than a human thumb.
It's small head move in and out as it walks.
It moves quite slowly.
It can fly [Scared the hell out of me when it decided to do this when I was photographing it :-) ].

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#2 08-07-2004 1:33pm

Dave

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Some form of beetle I suppose?

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#3 08-07-2004 1:42pm

RobertFoster

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ring up the natural history museum - they were able to tell me what the hell I saw in the garden (a "Devils Coachman" or Roave(sp?) Beetle it was!)

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#4 08-07-2004 1:45pm

bambam

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cheers, I'll give the Natural History Museum a shot

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#5 08-07-2004 1:57pm

joe_chicken

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the third one is a great picture!!!

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#6 08-07-2004 3:35pm

Nala

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I've seen something similar in my garden, only it was green. Def some form of beetle tho.

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#7 08-07-2004 5:20pm

Tusky

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Looks ahalf beatle half moth, wierd !

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#8 08-07-2004 5:29pm

Runfree

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hmmm strange. Definitly some sort of beetle though. Did it just sit there while you took the pics?

Damn poser of an insect

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#9 08-07-2004 5:32pm

Nala

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My budgie is worse. He runs up to the camera and starts pecking the lens!

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#10 08-07-2004 5:34pm

keu

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yea..like the pics.
is like one of those flying beetle things alright, but I've only seen them abroad.
There is a guy writes a column in my local rag on wildlife in the area and has written a few books on natural history. Seems to be very knowledgable in the area, and seemingly does a lot of research, specimen counts and so forth. I'm sure would be interested in seeing pics.
Have his e-mail if you want, can pm me.

better still..hereshis website

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#11 08-07-2004 6:13pm

l3rian

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hope you killed that ugly thing

and spraying it with insect killer wont work either, i sprayed one of those extra large beetles with half a can of the stuff when i was in france and it decided just then to show me it could fly and scared the shjt out of me

i recommend squashing it with a rock or newspaper

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#12 08-07-2004 6:16pm

Dr. Dre

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Urgh
*shivers*

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#13 08-07-2004 6:30pm

Peace

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That bettle ate my baby....

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#14 08-07-2004 6:36pm

clearz

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That is an African Viper Beatle. They are EXTREAMLY dangerous and poisoness. If there is one there is a nest somewere. Call the Guards immedially and get away from the area.

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#15 08-07-2004 6:40pm

Johnny_the_fox

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snap!!??
:eek:

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#16 08-07-2004 7:19pm

DMT

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Originally posted by clearz
That is an African Viper Beatle. They are EXTREAMLY dangerous and poisoness. If there is one there is a nest somewere. Call the Guards immedially and get away from the area.

Yes. This is true with the following exceptions:

"EXTREAMLY" should be spelt "EXTREMELY"*
"immedially" should be spelt "immediately"

* Although "Extream" would be a goood name for some sort new fangled streaming movie site...

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#17 08-07-2004 7:46pm

User45701

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If ne of u have ever seen the first episode of outer limits (AMAZING EPISODE BTW) - that creature is a sand king

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#18 08-07-2004 7:56pm

l3rian

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oh yea i seen that episode, it was extreamly good, watch it immedially anyone who missed it

some termites build big bases just like the show

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#19 08-07-2004 9:29pm

Creature

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Ah yeah I've seen a few of those around and I live in Killester. Although the two I found were much darker in colour, mostly brown/black. They sure are ugly and fairly big too.

I don't see them much though. The two I saw were victims of my cats :P.
One had most of its legs missing and was just rolling about on the carpet and the other had it's head missing.

Ah well who am I to deny a hungry cat its dinner

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#20 08-07-2004 9:44pm

Webmonkey

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interesting guy...

just wondering what camera did you use to take this excellent photography

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#21 09-07-2004 8:04am

Repli

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screw him - did anyone see the 2 inch wasps flying around cork - they were in the paper yesterday

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#22 09-07-2004 8:35am

bambam

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bula bos Johnny_the_fox, so its a "Common Cockchafer" (unfortunate name...) or aka the May Bug.

more info here : http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/invertebrates_terrestrial_and_freshwater/Melolontha_melolontha/

oh and webmonkey, I used a Nikon coolpix 5700

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#23 09-07-2004 8:52am

Cows With Guns

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Nevermind the name, tell us what it tasted like!

Third picture rocks!

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#24 09-07-2004 9:16am

bug

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thats a mad looking thing.
tell us what is is when you find out wont you?

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#25 09-07-2004 4:16pm

vibe666

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Originally posted by bambam
bula bos Johnny_the_fox, so its a "Common Cockchafer" (unfortunate name...) or aka the May Bug.

is it related to the sandy snatch?

think you missed the above link Bug.
http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/invertebrates_terrestrial_and_freshwater/Melolontha_melolontha/

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#26 10-07-2004 8:02pm

bug

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i did miss it vibe. but i still dont believe them. its a conspiracy, they've come to take over...slowly :eek:

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