This animal is ginormous. Okay it is about an inch long not counting the legs and antennae but it is still the biggest beetle that I am going to see today. (An inch is pretty big for a beetle, you wouldn’t get this in a matchbox) It’s a monster.
This is an animal called the Variable Longhorn Beetle. It is called Variable because there is a lot of colour variation mostly from brown to black in different degrees. This one is a female. There is a colour difference between the sexes, the prothorax is black in the female and brown in the male.
Prothorax – The first segment of the thorax (the first bit behind the head)
Anyway don’t ask me to get you a male. They are supposed to be quite common but this is only the second one that I have ever seen. Flight time is May/June and just about over so this was a lucky spot. 
It would make a very nice snack for a Blackbird. You could feed your family with one of these. 🙂
A Tramp in the Woods 
Stunning photography here Colin what an amazing bug, these shots look fantastic when opened up to their full size of 1024, the depth of field is beautiful in this set which really makes the subject stand out, cant pick a favourite as I like them all but the second to last has a wonderful quirky feel to it and a fascinating read as well, Excellent work indeed sir.
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Thank you my friend. She was a great find and I am so glad that you liked the pictures.
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Awesome photos!
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Thank you very much Scottie. I have just started following your blog and I am really looking forward to watching wildlife in Suffolk 🙂
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