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Cockchafer (was - Insect identification)

  • 27-05-2013 3:39pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22


    Found this stuck in the trampoline this morning. Have spent a while looking online to try to figure out what type of insect it is. Any ideas?


Comments

  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,077 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Cockchafer I think!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22 SuePal


    Cockchafer I think!

    You are right that is exactly what it is. My kids are so excited to have found out. Thanks.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭Grolschevik


    Cockchafer I think!

    I always wondered how it acquired that name...


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,077 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    I always wondered how it acquired that name...

    Presumably something to do with male chickens... :P


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭Grolschevik


    Presumably something to do with male chickens... :P

    Or weird Elizabethan trouser manufacturing.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,529 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Well Käfer is the modern German word for beetle, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the word chafer is a derivative of an Old-German version of that. Nothing to do with 'chafing' at all. Not sure about the 'cock' bit though.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Middle English cheaffer, chaver, Old English ceofor; akin to German Käfer and Cock in reference to it's size and vigour according to the OED.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 586 ✭✭✭Desmo


    Alun wrote: »
    Well Käfer is the modern German word for beetle, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the word chafer is a derivative of an Old-German version of that. Nothing to do with 'chafing' at all. Not sure about the 'cock' bit though.

    yes! Many modern words beginning with "k" have equivalent modern English word begining with "ch" e.g. cheese, church. Chafer is old english word for beetle.


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