The Cockchafer or May Bug is totally harmless to people despite its alarming appearance and size. I found this one climbing up my leg as I knelt on the grass. It was probably newly emerged from its three year life as a grub under ground. As an adult it will only live about six weeks.
Beneath those brown wing cases (elytra) there is a pair of powerful wings. Adult cockchafers spend most of their time flying around tree tops, feeding on leaves and making love.
Although they are rather slow moving on the ground they are very good at climbing and hanging on as you can see below. You can also see his cheery little face and the fringed antennae. This helps cockchafers (and 'hen-chafers', I guess) find each other by smell in the dark.
They are attracted to light, and if one flies in through your window it makes the most alarming noise - like a motor bike - as it zooms round the room. The white triangles on its side look like four exhaust pipes.
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