Yee-Ha!

It's round-up time in bugland,
'cause here comes the 'Cowboy Beetle'

This fella couldn't sit still for a moment - it was very tricky to get a photo!
The Cowboy beetle is one of the flower beetles and spends his day foraging amongst the flowers eating pollen.

Cheerio for now,
I hope you liked today's post.

Sandi x

Little Gold Beetle

I found this little Scarab beetle the other day. It looks a bit like our usual gold christmas beetle, but slightly different. This one is slightly smaller and has light blotches/spots.

It was a bit tricky to get a good photo of it because it was so shiny....
We don't seem to get as many christmas beetles as we used to.......
We have seen a few of the light green ones recently - they are attracted to the house lights at night.
I hope to see some more this year.
Do you get chrismas beetles?

Sandi x

An odd name for a Beetle

Today I have found for you some pie dish beetles.

The uniquely Australian pie dish beetles are representatives of the large cosmopolitan darkling beetle family, Tenebrionidae.

The pie dish beetles' common name refers to their general pie dish shape.

They mainly feed on decaying vegetation and are found under pieces of wood, leaf litter, logs or stones. 

Did you know there are more than 28 000 species of beetles in Australia, - they come in all shapes and sizes and can be found everywhere.

I hope you enjoyed today's post about the interesting Pie Dish Beetle.

Cheerio,

Sandi x

Harlequins

These jewel-like bugs are known as Harlequin bugs. Their colours - bright metallic greens, blues and red make them easy to spot on the tree. These bugs suck sap from hibiscus plants and their relatives. Their main native food plant is the Beach Hibiscus (or Cotton Tree). The females (the big red bug on the left) lay clusters of eggs around twigs and guard them until they hatch. If disturbed, they emit a pungent odour. Phew!

(so don't be tempted to poke them with a stick :)

Cheerio for now,

Sandi x

Wordless Wednesday

Cheers,
Sandi x

A little Longicorn

What a cute little face, can you guess what it is?


.......A longicorn beetle.

Cute little fella isn't he?

I love the camouflage colouring on this beetle.

......and the long antennae.

A Beautiful Beetle

How gorgeous is this little jewel of a beetle?

Shining in the sun like an irridescent christmas decoration.

I could not find the name of this one.
**Edited 17-2-14   I now know this beetle's name - (very rare apparently)
it is Spilopyra sumptuosa
a chrysomelid beetle.
Its host is the tuckeroo tree.

It was tricky taking a photo as it was a very busy beetle not wanting to stay still.

 

You can see that the beetle is quite tiny compared to the size of my fingers.

I am very lucky to have such treasures living in my backyard.

Until next time,

keep your eyes out, you may just find your own tiny treasure,

Sandi x

Lovely Ladybirds

Some ladybird beetles for you today.

The first one is a 'tortoise shell', or 'netty' ladybird.

Isn't it's shell glossy - just like is has been polished.

The '28 spotted Potato Ladybird Beetle'. Sometimes an agricultural pest - as it eats potato (and other solanum species) plant leaves. I usually leave them if I see them on my potato plants. They can chew the leaves - I'll have the potaotes!

A 'Fungus-eating Ladybird beetle'.

And lastly, this unidentified one.....lovely!
You might just see one in your garden.....

Cheerio,
Sandi x

Bug on a Stick

Hi - di - ho .....and away we go,
 hang on to your sticks, bug spotters, here is the very first post.

 

This is a longicorn beetle.
 They are sometimes found on windows at night, attracted by the light. Their  larvae eat rotten wood - nature's little recyclers.

 These beetles have very very long antennae........

and a cute little face!

Cheers,
Sandi x