Any idea what this insect is?

[The Bear]

Found quite a few of these in a log pile, any idea what it is. It's about a cm long. Logs have been drying under a loose tarp for 18 months and the wood is hazel if that's relevant. Are they going to eat my logs?

Cheers

Mark

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Looks like a May bug to me

 

[RobinBHM]

If its 1-2 cm long I would say perhaps a cardinal beetle.

 

[The Bear]

Bob Aren't may bugs the big things about an inch long and not as red? Or are you suggesting this may be a juvenile?

Robin, all about 1cm long, none bigger, again unless we think these are juveniles? The pics on google do look like them though.

Mark

 

[NazNomad]

My first guess would have been a Lily Beetle.

 

[The Bear]

Naz
I did have lily beetles at my old house, but I also had lilies and they were on the plants. None in my garden here or around as far as I know.
Mark

 

[RobinBHM]

The scarce cardinal beetle is about 9mm long, but its.......scarce

Your pic is similar to a cardinal, but isnt quite the same as the cardinal at the head, although could be camera angle

 

[Farmer Giles]

My wife knows a lot about bugs, she likes them a lot, she can play for hours around an old decaying tree searching out critters under the bark.

As soon as she saw the pic she said cardinal beetle.

 

[geoffshep]

Have a look in here: http://www.uksafari.com/beetles.htm

 

[Sheptonphil]

Definitely a Lily Beetle.

The cardinal had a red head, the Lily a black head.

Phil

 

[CHJ]

I think you will find that there are three species of Cardinal.
Red headed
Black headed
and so called Rare, found mainly in northern regions.