Today's wildlife is the Christmas Beetle who arrive around Christmas time each year - although this year I think they were later in my neck of the woods.
Here's some info about them from the Australian Museum website.
"There are about 35 species of Christmas beetles (family Scarabaeidae), eight of which occur in Sydney. Anoplognathus viriditarsus is the largest of the Sydney Christmas beetles" - and I think he's the one I photographed.
The larvae are small, white and c-shaped, with the adults emerging close to Christmas time. They're brightly coloured (often only when the light hits them the right way, in my observations) and feed on eucalyptus leaves.
I like these beetles, even if they sometimes buzz you at night and smack you in the face. They're harmless. They're happy to crawl all over you without hurting. And they're a sign of summer - my favourite time of year.
No comments:
Post a Comment