ブライアン・メイさんのインスタグラム写真 - (ブライアン・メイInstagram)「(Continued from previous post - I evidently ran out of space ... ) 💥💥💥💥 So I made a pouch out of newspaper, and carefully put the piece of paper with the beetle on it in the pouch, ready to transport it safely to its place of rest. As I did so, again I had the impression that perhaps a leg had moved a fraction of a millimetre ? Holding the pouch, I headed out of the hotel towards a safe place in the bushes. As I went out of the door, I felt a sharp bump in the pouch. 💥💥 Reaching the bushes, I unfolded the newspaper with some excitement. There, was my pal sitting on the page, all arms and legs and feelers deployed, apparently ready to party !!! He was clinging on, and for a while I wondered if I was going to have to leave the newspaper there. But as I started to tear out the page, my May Bug started out purposefully for the edge of the paper, and then smoothly strode on to a leaf underneath. He was free !! And looking good ! As he crawled off into the undergrowth I felt a warm glow of pride in my rescuee. 💥These May Bugs, otherwise known as Cockchafers, are a charming species that inhabited the British Isles long before we did. They are a valuable part of the eco-system, their wriggly white larvae providing a favourite food for rooks and other corvids, who are very skilled as finding them in the grass. Since we share a name, perhaps I feel I have a special connection. So if you encounter one please give it my best and try to ensure its well-being. But who knew of this special behaviour ? Playing dead ? Perhaps an ancient survival strategy ? Maybe the signal to break cover was me putting him in the dark in the pouch ? How do I know he was a boy ? Boys apparently have seven strands to their ‘fans’ at the end of their feelers. Girls have six. Who knew ?! I didn’t have my camera handy when he came back to life, but he looked very much like this picture in SWIPE #5, from a nice insect website — www.wildlifesafari.net. Thanks guys ! Bri」5月30日 0時24分