As I'm still a newbie to nature blogging, I have to research most of what I post. Thanks to this little chap, I now know a lot about poo. I know, for example, that a mound is the best place for laying eggs, rather than a pointy bit or crevice to avoid drying out or drowning. I know that a pile of dung is a savage hunting ground; larvae eating each other, adults ambushing other adults who come to lay their eggs. Fortunately, adults will hunt food elsewhere too, and occasionally wash dinner down with some nectar; so I was able to capture this little beauty on some hogweed.
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He appears to have jewels embedded into his thorax. I haven't found reference to this on the internet; perhaps it's moisture catching the sunlight.
He was a willing model for me so I took advantage and photographed him from all angles. When I left to go in search of another subject, I glanced back and saw that I had flattened out the 3 foot tall grasses surrounding him in an impressive crop circle. Still need to work on that subtle approach, I think.
