Last night the stag beetles took flight, this was the main event and the epicentre of Stag-Fest was my back garden - and what a spectacular sight it was.
There is a limited stag beetle flight-night most years but the main event - the really big ones and lots of them - only happens once every seven years...
It takes a stag beetle 7 years to reach maturity (spending most of its life as a grub) and when they take flight they only have about a week left - fight, breed and die!
So the next big event will be in 2024 - hopefully I'll have a better camera by then. But a rainstorm last night may have interrupted proceedings, so they might be out again tonight - fingers crossed.
What has this got to do with fishing?
They don't normally fly until mid-June, nature is about 3 weeks ahead of itself. The last of the spawners have spawned (carp and barbel) - everything is ready for the new season - just over 2 weeks.
And I've uploaded a couple of videos of these mini-monsters to Instagram (no login needed), awesome creatures.
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Somethings like spawning are early, others late. Topsy turvy world.
ReplyDeleteVaries from place to place, I know the local barbel and carp have already spawned. Last year I saw pike spawning in June (and the stag beetles didn't fly at all).
ReplyDelete*same river I saw the pike spawning in March this year.
DeleteThose photos are awesome ! I want one, may go have a look this evening
ReplyDeleteSeemed to all be over in one night, seen a few stragglers on Instagram so keeping an eye out for the next week.
DeleteAnd I found one tonight on the path in Balham (and took him to the park where hopefully he won't get stepped on).
Deleteyou can have any that come near me! i thought it was brian's new lure!
ReplyDeleteTo the fly-tying vice...
DeleteGotta love the stag beetle, I wish we had them in this area.
ReplyDeleteI found one floating in a French pond and scared my sunbathing wife with it. My lad wanted to take it home as a keepsake so left it in a dish in the tent.
Next morning it twitched and an hour later was climbing a tree. Incredible recovery, incredible insect.
I only saw an alive one when I moved to London - now I keep a special look out for them - they fly around 16 June, and for some reason that date sticks in my mind!
DeleteI go out especially to watch the beetles in the evening when in the south of France, quite a few variations of stag beetles and the fantastic looking rhinoceros beetle...