Flying creature

[jfgw]

I saw this flying around in Colchester tonight and took this photo with my 'phone,

You can see from the paviour that it is about 2 1/2" long.

Does anyone know what it is?

Julian F. G. W.

[PinkDalek]

No idea which species but isn’t it a male stag beetle?

[supremetwo]

Yes, male stag beetle - quite rare.

https://ptes.org/campaigns/stag-beetles/stag-beetles/

Male beetles appear to have huge antlers. They are actually over-sized mandibles, used in courtship displays and to wrestle other male beetles. They are not harmful to humans.
Adult males can vary in size from 35mm – 75mm long and tend to be seen flying at dusk in the summer looking for a mate.

They are still relatively widespread in southern England, especially the Thames Valley, north Essex, south east Suffolk, south Hampshire and West Sussex.
--------------------------
Elsewhere in Britain they are extremely rare or even extinct.
We are particularly keen for people to record stag beetles in the counties on the border of their known range including Cambridgeshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Yorkshire.

[jfgw]

Thank you for that information. I wish I had stayed around to get a better photo. I was a bit wary of it though, not knowing what it was.

Julian F. G. W.

[didds]

Realised I haven't seen a stag beetle for years, decades even.

I used to see them all the time in the 70s in North kent... (which fits the geographical description... but then so does presumably Wiltshire where we are now)

didds

[DiamondEcho]

I saw this flying around in Colchester tonight and took this photo with my 'phone,
Image
You can see from the paviour that it is about 2 1/2" long.

DAK why I often, usually it seems, see other's embedded images represented by the word 'image', rather than the image itself. Apologies I have had this problem before, perhaps rectified it, but it seems to be happening again - I currently see no images at all it seems.

Moderator Message:
Quote fixed. - Chris

[PinkDalek]

DAK why I often, usually it seems, see other's embedded images represented by the word 'image', rather than the image itself. Apologies I have had this problem before, perhaps rectified it, but it seems to be happening again - I currently see no images at all it seems.

I recall you asking previously but can't recall if/how you resolved the issue.

Are you able to view the image direct?:

https://i.imgur.com/JgyiJ99.jpg

[Slarti]

DAK why I often, usually it seems, see other's embedded images represented by the word 'image', rather than the image itself. Apologies I have had this problem before, perhaps rectified it, but it seems to be happening again - I currently see no images at all it seems.

Top of the screen is your user name with a drop down menu.
Select User Control Panel > Board Preferences > Edit Display Options

Which radio button is selected for Display images within posts?

Slarti

[DiamondEcho]

I recall you asking previously but can't recall if/how you resolved the issue. Are you able to view the image direct?

Ah, no! And that reminds me of the reason I can't see the images, it's hosted on Imgur which is banned in this country. So to view images and participate in the discussion thereof I have to be hooked up through my VPN. Thanks for posting that, and to 'Chris' for fixing the format of my OP.

p.s. Thanks Slarti, all those options are set on 'On', but it was a good suggestion, I'd forgotten those preferences existed.