Longhorn beetle private party

in Fascinating Insects3 years ago

I was not invited.
I was rude enough to spy on them though :p
But just for a little bit :)

Longhorn beetle Stictoleptura rubra 3.jpg

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?

Longhorn beetle Stictoleptura rubra 1.jpg

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

Longhorn beetle Stictoleptura rubra 2.jpg

Longhorn beetle Stictoleptura rubra 4.jpg

Longhorn beetle Stictoleptura rubra 5.jpg

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 :)

Water-dropwort 1.jpgWater-dropwort 2.jpg

Longhorn beetle Stictoleptura rubra 6.jpg

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Shot with Nikon D5500 + Sigma 105mm lens
All photos and text are my own.



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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!