# Cockchafer :D



## xautomaticflowersx (Sep 7, 2009)

Last night as I was cleaning out my royal's RUB I noticed a huge cockchafer climbing up the wires of the thermostats/heat lamps near my viv stack.
I used to find these all the time when I was a child, but I haven't seen one in years so I was really pleased to find this little chap shimmying up the wires in my room. I popped him in an empty locust tub so I could release him in the morning and take some piccies.
You can tell he's male because he has 7 fronds on the end of his antennae... females have 6 fronds.



















He's so cute! :lol2:


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## jamesthornton (Nov 24, 2008)

My dog brought one in. I was watching her play till I realised what it was. They're bloody tough things


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## lisa c (Feb 11, 2010)

Ah! the elusive maybug!


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## xautomaticflowersx (Sep 7, 2009)

They are... despite their fluffy thorax and cute little faces they are very very tough-shelled! I think the word 'crispy' comes to mind!


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## xautomaticflowersx (Sep 7, 2009)

lisa c said:


> Ah! the elusive maybug!


I used to find them all the time when I was a child, but we had a huge oak tree in the front garden and oak leaves are one of their favourite foods.
I moved from that house abot 14 years ago and I'm almost 100% sure I haven't seen one since. Was well chuffed to see this little guy... it was great when he took flight and wobbled off into the distance in search of oak leaves and laydeez! :lol2:


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## lisa c (Feb 11, 2010)

xautomaticflowersx said:


> I used to find them all the time when I was a child, but we had a huge oak tree in the front garden and oak leaves are one of their favourite foods.
> I moved from that house abot 14 years ago and I'm almost 100% sure I haven't seen one since. Was well chuffed to see this little guy... it was great when he took flight and wobbled off into the distance in search of oak leaves and laydeez! :lol2:


 I'd never heard of them in London then I moved to Woking and there was loads of them. Now I live in Hastings where they are known as june bugs :lol2:


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## xautomaticflowersx (Sep 7, 2009)

lisa c said:


> I'd never heard of them in London then I moved to Woking and there was loads of them. Now I live in Hastings where they are known as june bugs :lol2:


I'm jealous! I love these things... I ought to go and rummage in the undergrowth nearby and see what else I can find. I've heard of them being called May Bugs, but not June Bugs. Though in Sussex they call them 'Billy Witches'!
Meh... it's a Cockchafer if you ask me!


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## lisa c (Feb 11, 2010)

xautomaticflowersx said:


> I'm jealous! I love these things... I ought to go and rummage in the undergrowth nearby and see what else I can find. I've heard of them being called May Bugs, but not June Bugs. Though in Sussex they call them 'Billy Witches'!
> Meh... it's a Cockchafer if you ask me!


 :lol2: You go and have a rumage and let us know what you find!


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## Woodsman (Aug 12, 2008)

Try hanging a lightbulb on an extension lead on the washing line or somewhere similar at night,depending if there's any oaks in the vicinity you'll get lots of them crashing about.
Every few years Cockchafers emerge _en masse, _this year is one of them.
I'm getting literally 100's per night in moth traps.


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## xautomaticflowersx (Sep 7, 2009)

Wow, thanks for the tips Woodsman. I'd catch a fair few moths for my day gecko to eat as well at the same time! :lol2:


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

first bug through the window to crash into my lampshade two nights ago, cockchafer, real loud smack as well, not like flimsy moths, but damn are they bad flyers and they'll take off every time their not stuck on their backs, even if taking off means going 8cm and smacking into a wall continuously...:lol2:


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## Woodsman (Aug 12, 2008)

xautomaticflowersx said:


> Wow, thanks for the tips Woodsman. I'd catch a fair few moths for my day gecko to eat as well at the same time! :lol2:


Take great care when feeding native moths to your reps,some species are poisonous.


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## xautomaticflowersx (Sep 7, 2009)

joeyboy said:


> first bug through the window to crash into my lampshade two nights ago, cockchafer, real loud smack as well, not like flimsy moths, but damn are they bad flyers and they'll take off every time their not stuck on their backs, even if taking off means going 8cm and smacking into a wall continuously...:lol2:


Haha I know, bless them. They sort of wobble along in the sky in quite a clumsy way! This one wasn't that intent on flying tbh... it just crawled about up my arm for a while until it felt a breeze and then flew off quite purposefully. Well, as purposefully as a cockchafer can be I suppose!



Woodsman said:


> Take great care when feeding native moths to your reps,some species are poisonous.


It's generally only carpet moths that I get in my room, so those are the ones that go into my day gecko's tank. Moths are his absolute favourite.
I know some hawk moths are poisonous... do you know of any others specifically?


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## Woodsman (Aug 12, 2008)

xautomaticflowersx said:


> Haha I know, bless them. They sort of wobble along in the sky in quite a clumsy way! This one wasn't that intent on flying tbh... it just crawled about up my arm for a while until it felt a breeze and then flew off quite purposefully. Well, as purposefully as a cockchafer can be I suppose!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm not aware of any native Hawk moths being poisonous,however,White Ermine,Cinnabar,most of the Tiger moth species spring to mind as being poisonous.


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## xautomaticflowersx (Sep 7, 2009)

Okidoke thanks again for the info. 

Haven't been able to hang a bulb outside and see what arrives in the garden because it's been raining at night. Don't fancy an exploding lightbulb.


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## *mogwai* (Feb 18, 2008)

i found one of these today, never seen them before. is the name pronounced as it's spelled?


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