Oak Jewel Beetle... something of a Safari

[James G]

I've been seeing smallish brilliant beetles occasionally, on and off, over the last two weeks. Just a glimpse flying rapidly with jewel/metalic blue/green colour.

I finally tracked one down to an old tree stump where it seemed to land and then dive deep into moss growing around the stump. Over a couple of visits it seems that the stump is a 'popular' spot for them'
Getting a good look has proved really challenging since they, never stay still, andmove in and out of the moss continuously. I have been back on three occasions to try and get some images and am still not satisfied... getting a good view and reasonable detail has been a serious challenge. I'm assuming I've been seeing females since they seem to be pushing an ovipositor deep into cracks in the stmp, presumably to lay eggs.

I've never seen them before and from the texts I've looked up they seem to be an uncommon beetle in Britain, though the Midlands is a good area for them.

#1 Oak Jewel Beetle, Agrilus Biguttatus (female)... An Alternative name is Two-spotted Oak Buprestid


#2


#3


#4

[marlunn]

Nice series James, great images. I have not seen one before so thank you - I will need to look out more for them, not sure about likelyhood in Wales but will check it out.

[James G]

Thanks Mark, I've never seen them until this summer and it wasa fluke I saw one disappear into the mossy stump. When they open their wingcase to fly, the top of the abdomen is a brilliant blue. I'm thinking of trying to video them if I can still find them and maybe extract a decent image as they take off. Hope is a grat thing

[Ziggy]

Those look like difficult shots but you managed to capture some great detail. Like #3 the best.

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[Wavelength]

You could capture the glitter without overdoing the same; well done

[Dave A]

Tough shooting James but you captured some good shots.

Dave

[IzzieK]

James, I think I have seen a slew of them when we were having Tucker treated at a special vet place. And there's a lot in just one place (parking lot of a vet hospital) as we do not have them around our way, which is about half an hour away from there. We used to go there for Tucker's treatment almost once a week just to keep him alive and still be with us and each time, around summer when the temperature really heats up, they are there. I tried to pick some up with a tissue to photograph at the time but I kept forgetting and they died on me by the time I remember. Perhaps the hot car did it too, who knows?

Anyway, these are good ones here you have and different angles too. Thanks for sharing.