stag beetle karma

I have blood on my hands.  As I was harvesting the compost from the pile, I kept uncovering huge larvae.  They looked like massive vine weevils, so I exposed them for the birds to feast on. 

There was something nagging at the back of my mind though, and gradually it came to the surface.  What if they were stag beetle larvae?  I Googled them, and sure enough, there was a photofit image on the screen.  I was wracked with guilt.  Stag beetles are endangered, and are very good for the soil, both in their immature and adult forms, breaking down dead matter to create rich compost.  Which is what they were doing in Brian's lovely heap of yew chippings. 

As soon as I realized the truth I gathered up the surviving ones that I had exposed, and returned them to their earthy home.  I hope the stress didn't kill them.