WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT?

Had a lovely five mile hike with the FCG in the cool of the evening, putting the world to rights and dropping in on a few bugs as we went.  I'd like to know what this is, but a bit too weary to look him up tonight...no, I'm not!  I think he is a soldier beetle. He's just the sort of beetle you want to have in your garden, apparently (though we found this one in some ferns at the edge of a wood).  They eat aphids and their favourite plant is goldenrod.  Just as well I have some of that in the garden. 

I enjoy a last minute traipse round the garden at this time of year.  The fennel was full of sleepy bumble bees tonight - I counted five.  You can gently stroke them and they raise one lazy leg as if to say, 'Stop it, I like it!"