Tag Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 Very hot day in Belgium and Northern France, leading to an invasion of May bugs. Said to be a sign of a long hot summer. Anybody else know any so called signs, Not I hope having being to university! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 So what does a Maybug look like? We've been sitting outside with some Dutch visitors tonight. We've heard several little "plopping" noises and looked round to find "bugs" on the windowsills, quite big (about an inch long) a bit like a beetle, with antenae that have sort of fans at the end of them, and we presume they have just hatched out, thus the "plopping" noise as they fall from the window frames. Our Dutch visitors called them something unrepeatable in Dutch but translated it as "flying deer" because of the antler-like antennae. Is this a Maybug? And if it is, with the amount we have found tonight we could well be in for another canicule Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard-R Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 One of the 'old men of the village' saw me releasing a couple of scorpions on the river bank at the front of our house a few weeks and told me he they are out and about before the 1st May, this is a sign for a long hot summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tag Posted May 2, 2005 Author Share Posted May 2, 2005 They look like stag beatles without the antlers but a bit lighter and a tiny bit smaller I guess. Any help. And seem to be totally harmless but I dont have a bug book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 Yes I've seen some here too - Gers - on our balcony in their last throes. Another name is cockchafer ( if this word isn't censored.) Sorry can't help with other signs of hot weather, but our local paper has a regular corner for sayings such as "on St Catherine's the crocus in flower brings early ripening wheat" or some such. I made that up by the way. Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 Thanks. That's obviously what we had visiting last night, expect they clearly weren't hatching out, but were crashing into our lighted windows. I found a description of their behaviour and a picture at this link, which matched our nocturnal guests exactly:http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/chafer.htmNow let's hope the "old wives tale" of a long hot summer is true!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corinne Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Talking about bugs, does anyone know what those things that look like ladybirds are called? Red with dots but bigger, flatter and duller in colour than the ladybird I know and love. Never seen a more rampent lovefest going on than with these little devils!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/chafer.htmThis is a brilliant link - thanks Coco. I've been trying to find out what these bugs are for ages. On our last visit to our France I brought back a specimen to try and track it down.We seem to get them most of the year round - anyone else had that problem? And any suggestions for keeping them away ?Emma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 The oval shaped 'lady birds' who couple back to back are known as 'gendarmes' around here.I can't ever remember seeing maybugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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