Golden Balls

Doing a bit more voyeurism under the gazebo today and unlike Brat Pitt the male here didn't seem to mind performing sex for the camera!

The males are golden and furry and as such really stand out while the females, which are less common, are greyish green.

After mating the female lays hers eggs on a dung pat from either cattle, sheep or horses, on which the larvae will feed. It takes 3 weeks for an adult to emerge and 3 weeks after that they are ready to mate. They predate small insects but also feed on nectar which might explain them being round the ivy at this time of year.