Tuesday 1 September 2009

Can Anyone Tell Us What It Is?

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There is a definite feel of Autumn in the air now. The hanging baskets are finished and have been taken down, the nights are drawing in fast and the leaves are starting to change.

Now, we have a bit of a mystery! Whilst I was on the computer this morning, I glanced up and saw this strange creature. Strange because I personally have never seen one before, even at my time of life. Mike walked into the room and before I had a chance to say anything, he noticed it as well. It was on the wall just above my computer desk. He confessed he had never seen one either.

It is obviously a beetle. However, we cannot look it up on the internet unless we have a clue as to what it is. There are millions of beetles!!

Mike grabbed the camera and took a couple of shots. On the wall it was a very dark green, it almost looked black. When it moved it did not fly, it jumped. It jumped from the wall down to a shelf and then from one end of the shelf to another, quite sizeable jumps for a creature like that, before Mike released it.



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Now, we have a policy of never killing anything that enters the house. We believe that all creatures have the right to live. So whether it be spider, moth, butterfly, beetle or anything else - it gets captured, either by hand or in a jar and safely placed outside.

Mike took our strange friend into the back garden and put it in some thick foliage. It immediately changed to a very bright light green with just a touch of brown on it. It obviously uses colour-changing camouflage. So, now we are more intrigued than ever. What is it?? Is it a species native to Britain or some visitor that has come in from abroad? If anybody knows please can you let us know as we would love to find out more about it. On the outside pictures, it looks similar to a Cricket, but nothing like that on the interior photographs. To make sure, I looked up Crickets on the internet and this strange little fellow is not one of those. Here are the outside pictures.

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On Sunday last we had a lovely dinner with the family which was greatly enjoyed by all. Nathan can be a little picky with his food so I told him that the roast potatoes were magic and so were the stuffing balls, they were Nanjay's magic. His face lit up. He popped a piece of potato into his mouth and closed his eyes so tightly, wishing all the time. He then did the same with a piece of stuffing and then I was told that he really liked the magic balls and he wanted them again. Bless.

I will finish off with a couple of pictures of the boys playing at the local park.



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Well, it is blowing a gale here right now and it is also time for the evening meal. Please do let us know about the beetle if anyone knows.

May life be treating you kindly, dear friends and readers.

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21 comments:

  1. its a shield beetle/bug.quite common but because its green,lol,we dont notice them.if you see a bright red beetle,crimson,on lilies squish it fast.ive lost every lilly in my garden.lily beetle.lovely pics jeannette,take care,mort xxx

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  2. I've seen those green bugs here too but do not know what they are. I bet if Mike took it to your local garden center they could identify it. Hey maybe Sandra will know what it is. Fall weather must come quickly there, my hanging baskets are still blooming & beautiful. Last year they bloomed clear into the first of November. I have noticed that the days are getting shorter...starting to get dark around 8pm rather than 9pm. And I'm dreading the upcoming winter~hoping we don't get all that snow again. Hugs from Linda in Washington

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  3. I'm no help on the beatle bug. There are some beautiful bugs out there and I love to watch but don't touch. I'm glad you got that one outside again where he belongs.

    The boys certainly looked like they were having fun. I'm sure Daniel will never forget the 'magic' at your house. How cute!

    Days are shorter and cooler here. My hanging basket looks withered so I should dump it but cannot bring myself to do it. I hate it that summer is ending.

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  4. Hi Jeanette, Glad that Mort seems to have solved the mystery of the "beast" I have had quite a few of them come into my house this year and like you had not a clue as to what they were. The answer that Mort gave describes it perfectly. Great that the boys were visiting again and they enjoyed their "magic" lunch...I remember when our Jacqueline was a wee girl if she woudn't eat something her Mum (my sister) would only have to say that it was "scottish" mince, pies, whatever and she would gobble them up !! Obviously if Grannie in Scotland had them they would be ok.
    Much Love Sybil xx
    Please Jeanette can you tell me how you get the photo's dispersed amongs the printed article ? I don't seem to be able to do it at all.

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  5. I agree it is some type of Shield beetle.

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  6. Jeannette that looks like what we call stink bugs here. If you touch it it really gives off a nasty odor. Great pictures of the boys being happy. Helen
    Here is a picture of the bug from google.
    http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegal/hemiptera/stinkbug/greenstinkbug.html

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  7. We have the same insect here and each time I've seen one it has been near my butterfly bush and always the light green color. I like that you don't kill anything that comes in your home - we don't either. Like you I believe everything has the right to live. The boys look to be having a great time in the playground. Very clever with the magic food!!!!

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  8. Does it smell? If so, it could be a green stinkbug. If not, could it be a green fruit bug? In Italy we also call it a "fig bug". Lovely photos of the kids. Ciao. A.

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  9. Not good on bugs over here, although I've seen it around. just don't know what it is. good luck with finding out...and I think you're right about my "hawk". don't think it's a raven either after looking at more pics of them. thanks for dropping by....

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  10. Looks like a stink bug to me.

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  11. I was going to say stink bug but everyone has beat me to it. I'm not big on killing every bug I see but if it is a black widow spider I sure would.

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  12. I wouldn't have had a clue what the insect was, but looked up the shield beetle and it says it is common - can't be that common if you'd never seen one before! Perhaps it was just on holiday in this area LOL. Love B x

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  13. Never seen one Jeannette but see you have solved the mystery either a shield beetle, or a stink bug, which could be one and the same! Loved the pictures of the boys having fun. Eileen x

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  14. Looks like a stink bug to me too.

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  15. Did you find out if it was the shield bug or the stink bug? I am intrigued about it changing colors. Now I want to know what it is! LOL I don't kill any bugs in my home either. Take care, hon... Love, Val xox

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  16. Let's call it.....A HAPPYTOBEREMOVEDSAFELY beetle....lol

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  17. Hey Jeannette,

    I think it must be some sort of beetle but I don't know the name of it. I would NOT have been able to take it outside it would be been squashed if it had been at my house. No one at my house likes bugs so it wouldn't have made it outside. I hope that you are able to identify it in case it returns indoors. I just hope it isn't poisonous. Do take care.

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  18. Go here http://www.animal.co.uk/insects/beetles/beetle_stink.html and here http://www/pestproducts.com/stink-bugs.htm

    The Southern Green Stink bug is a pest that destroys crops, fruit trees and other vegetation

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  19. Hi Jeannette did not read the comments above before I asked Stuart and then looked it up to check it is a Shield Beetle Stuart knew this don't know how just some of the useful information he has collected over the years. Love Joan

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  20. Hi Jeannette I didnt get an alert for this so when you spoke about the bug I didnt know what you meant I couldnt have said what it was anyway ,hee hee so no help from me ,Your magic dinner sounds delicious ...love Jan xx

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  21. Hi Jeannette love the photos of the boys having fun ..love Jeanxx

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