My goodness, what swollen, hairy thighs...

Oedemera nobilis, or the swollen-thighed beetle to us regular folk, is a curious looking little critter. I'd never been that aware of them, but having seen them in a spate recent blips, I was delighted to find one for myself during my visit to Hampton Court today.

The bee in the extra shot would have got star billing had I not spotted Mr Big Thighs at the last moment. It irritates me somewhat that Hampton Court is not open on Monday or Tuesday, meaning that I often get my best potential shots for TinyTuesday a day too late. Still, better late than never I suppose!