I made friends with a little nettle weevil in the meadow the other day. I didn't know what it was then. He/she was just an incredible little iridescent being who landed on my arm and was the same colour as the triangular quality street wrapper. Noisette?
I'm glad I didn't brush her off when I felt her tickly little feet on me cos I enjoyed watching as she had a little wander around on my warm skin. Of course I didn't know if she was a 'she' at the time and I still can't be sure can I, but apparently females are green and males more blue/green. So I will plum for she/her. I couldn't possibly describe her as an 'it'!
I put her on this pignut flower (I didn't know she preferred nettles then, or that her larvae like to munch on meadowsweet) and watched her navigate the delicate stems.
She clung on tight with all those legs as she swung upside down.
In the end she spread her wings and buzzed off across the meadow, she probably caught the smell of fresh nettles wafting in the air.
It was a small encounter with a tiny being but I love meeting something and then coming home to find out about it. This is a common beetle in the south and the midlands and less widespread in the north. She is actually black with green scales which rub off over time. So if a little black nettle weevil shaped beetle lands on me one day I'll wonder if she's my old friend Noisette.
