I was not invited.
I was rude enough to spy on them though :p
But just for a little bit :)
I found many of them on those white flowers doing their thing when I was waking around. I believe this is Stictoleptura rubra, but please correct me if I am wrong. This is as close as I managed to find.
Even though the images online show me beetles with black heads and my ones are uniform orange.
They also have the tips of the wings darker. I am wondering if they would change the colour slightly for the mating season?
It was mating season at full swing and I could see many of them around the white flowers. And it looks like nothing can disturb a hungry female!
She would even move between the clusters of flowers in search of pollen.
They visit flowering plants for nectar and/or pollen, while larvae develop and feed within dead wood and tree stumps of coniferous trees. To develop and reach maturity they need nutrients provided by fungi. Theirs gut contains cellulase-producing yeasts to enable xylophagy, or wood-digestion.
source
They chose lovely little flowers of Water-dropwort as their love nest.
After taking some photos I just left them alone. There was more bugs that day waiting to be shot :)
Shot with Nikon D5500 + Sigma 105mm lens
All photos and text are my own.
Wonderful shots as always!
I believe these are a type of Soldier Beetle (Cantharidae) which are a different family to the Longhorn Beetles.
This might be something similar to Common Red Soldier Beetle - Rhagonycha fulva but there are several different species which all look very similar... check the link for a selection of species in this family
Here in the UK they sometimes get referred to as 'bonking beetles' because they are often spotted together on flowers getting 'busy...' 😉
I think you are right!
The full orange body and the dark tip of the wings is more like the Soldier Beetle.
Hahaha they were busy here alright :D
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I love that shot with them just out of focus in the background!! Sensual bug photography.
Artsy porn 😂
😆
I love your bugs. And your flowers. But when they come together, wonderful.
Thank you!
Haha these photos are not allowed to post on bugs' social media.
🙊
Such amazing shots! I have also captured the same insects in strange … positions … but did not have the courage to post them yet. Are these nsfw? 😅😅😅
Thanks for mentioning their name!
Now I am not sure sure :p
I might be downvoted for posting porn in the wrong place 😂
Awesome shots! Funny how they don't even realize they're being watched.
They had no clue :D
Too busy I guess..
Yes, they have love! And you were spying on them.
In general, these are pictures for adults. :)
I am terrible!
Should I put NSFW tag? :p
Yikes! Where is the NSFW tag? LOL 🤣
Haha Lost in action!
I swear it was somewhere around :p
nice shots of those long horny beetles
Thanks :)
Get a room you randy little rascals! 😄
Great shots 👏
Hahahhaa :D :D
Thanks!