Hitchhiker

I think this is a Sexton beetle, an 'undertaker of the beetle world'. They live on, and in, the corpses of small mammals and birds.

Not sure when or where I picked it up, but it travelled round Deerness with me for a good part of the day. I heard a buzzing in the back of the van and kept leaving the boot open on different stops for my passenger to leave. Eventually I had a closer look for it, and pretty swiftly helped it out on this piece of wood.

A day of dog encounters. And not all of them pleasant. The worst left me with a very fast heart beat! I escaped with a grazed hand, caught on the pebbledashed wall of the house, as I struggled to make a swift exit and close the gate between me and the dog. With wobbling legs I drove straight to the shop for a plaster and recovery chocolate bar.

Fun couple of hours jive practice this evening.