Yesterday I walked down to the local shops. I've been reading a book called The Bees by Laline Paull, which is amazing because it's written from the viewpoint of a bee. So, my mind was on hives and finding flowers for nectar and pollen, and I was looking at my feet at the flowers and pollen when I noticed swarming animals in the grass heads. I'm allergic to bees, so I made sure they weren't bees before I walked through. They were tiny Christmas beetles.
When I returned, they were still there. Not to pass up this opportunity, I went home and returned with cameras. What was more amazing, was they were still there.
I had to lie in the grass in the public walkway, but it's a quiet town, so who would see me, right? Unfortunately, peak hour seemed to happen at that moment, even if it was lunchtime!! So, yes, a few people saw the derelict lying in the grass. Only one man came to ask what on earth I was doing, and rather than be fascinated, he just looked at me as if I was peculiar! Gosh, doesn't everyone lie on the grass to get up close to amazing sights?These guys weren't thrilled to be photographed. They had far more pressing things to do - like crawl all over everything and each other, but I got a few shots. (Who knew they were so hairy!?)
Here's the info from the Australian Museum on Christmas beetles.
Here's a bit more info from Burke's Backyard.
None of these look like the beetles I saw...and they all say they eat eucalypt trees and not grasses. *sigh* I probably call them Christmas Beetles and they're something else - what a shock! LOL.
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