Monday, 12 December 2011

Tis the Season

It's Christmas and the Christmas Beetles (Anoplognathus species) are out and about. In fact, some species seem to be unusually common this year. My friend Jack says that A. smaragdinus Ohaus has defoliated trees in his area.

About 35 species of the genus are known. Most seem to be associated with eucalypts.

We normally get only a few at lights here but elsewhere they are coming in by the hundreds. And this year some unusual colour morphs are appearing.
Anoplognathus smaragdinus Ohaus; Scarabaeidae; Rutelinae Green morph, by far the commonest, outnumbering the ohter colour morphs hundreds to one.
Anoplognathus smaragdinus Ohaus; Scarabaeidae; Rutelinae Red morph, very uncommon
Anoplognathus smaragdinus Ohaus; Scarabaeidae; Rutelinae Mixed morph, probably the most common of the odd morphs
Anoplognathus smaragdinus Ohaus; Scarabaeidae; Rutelinae Blue Morph, the least common and the most sought after by collectors. A real beaut.
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8 comments:

  1. Wong Chun Xing12 December 2011 at 23:30

    Excuse me, I need your help for a minute. I found this beetle here in http://www.flickr.com/photos/wong_chun_xing_arthropods/5183453353/ Do you know whether it is a beetle under the Anoplognathus genus too?

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  2. Ted C. MacRae13 December 2011 at 00:54

    Based on appearance I'm guessing these are closely related to our Western Hemisphere Chrysina? That blue one is incredible.

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  3. Unknown13 December 2011 at 01:57

    Beautiful beetles! The only one's I see at this time of year are carpet beetles...

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  4. randomtruth13 December 2011 at 01:59

    Andy Warhol beetles! Fantastic. You are truly living in a photographer-entomologist's paradise, Dave.

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  5. Mr. Smiley13 December 2011 at 05:42

    Thanks for all your comments.

    Wong Chun Xing your beetle looks similar but I'll bet it is a different genus. Perhaps, a beetle expert, like Ted, will be able to help you on this.

    These beetles are just a few of the many scarabs that come to lights around Kuranda. I'll have more as the season progresses.

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  6. Camera Trap Codger13 December 2011 at 10:32

    Hey, where can I get some to put on the Xmas tree I cut this afternoon?

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  7. Denis Wilson20 December 2011 at 23:44

    Marvellous colour morphs, Dave. Especially the blue one.
    Denis

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  8. Russell Constable13 January 2012 at 11:33

    Superb photos of your Christmas beetles Dave. They are in their hundreds amongst our young rainforest plantings though I have never taken the time to look for colour variation....will now!

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