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Anyone know what type of bug is shown in the photo posted here - http://forum.caithness.org/showpost....7&postcount=50.
Are the small ones on its back its young or just other bugs going along for the ride?
Also, any idea what has caused the markings in this rock at the Castletown shoreline?
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...ShoreRocks.jpg
When this was the muddy bed of Lake Orcadie some 200+ million years ago, the mud dried out causing a pattern of cracks. Next wet season the cracks filled with new mud. Over the ages this has been turned into stone.
Think the beetle is a Rove Beetle, Nichrophorus Investigator from the Staphylindae group.
Why can't they give them sensible names!
.. and the little bugs are mites - parasites. There was one on the bumble bee as well.
Thanks for all the feedback. :)
Taraxacum, I would never have thought of that, but now you've explained it, it seems so obvious.
Aaldtimer suggested the beetle was a Sexton Beetle, which based on the photos at Wikipedia seems like a good bet.