Beetles & Weevils
There is 166 families & 370,000 species in the order of “COLEOPTERA”. Beetles have their forewings modified into hard chitinous covers for the hind wings & abdomen.
They have chewing mouthparts designed for chewing, biting etc. some feed on plant material while others are predators.
Beetle larvae hatch from eggs that are grubs to feed & go through a number of moults, finally emerging from pupae to adults. Australia has more than 33,000.
This order also includes Weevils. Adults have the elongation of the head to form a rostrum and modified mouth parts. Beetles usually have a rigid body. Their antennae are always clubbed and some are elbowed. Generally the rostrum has elongated groove on each side for the reception of the antennae.
Weevil larvae are usually legless grubs or with very minute legs. They have hard round head and often blind. They feed on vegetable parts includes wood, bark, shoots, buds, leaves and roots, some are on grain and stored vegetable products.
Adults fly towards nearby lights at night time, you will find other species during the day feeding on blossums, shrubs & many others.
Bright-Yellow Ladybird
(Illeis gabula)
Active period of Adults: Spring
Habitat: Botanical, suburban, rural cultivated gardens
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: also in New South Wales
Additional notes: Ladybirds are beneficial for Rose gardens as they love devouring Aphids, these tiny little pests can be a real problem, as they suck the juices out of the rose stems, if you have Ladybirds its good to have them for the control use of Aphids.
Carrion Beetle
(Ptomaphila perlata)
Colour: black head, continues down the middle with hazlenut brown edge
Length: about 10-15mm
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Habitat: Suburban, country gardens
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: not sure on other states
Cowboy Beetle
(Diaphonia dorsalis)
Colour: hazelnut brown, with black bar from the head down to the body
Length: about 15mm
Active period of Adults: Adults are day flying & visit a variety of blossoms to feed - Spring & Summer
Habitat: Domesctic gardens
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: not sure on other states in Australia
Additional notes: Cowboys are given the name for obvious reasons, like a man dressed in black & brown leather. They have a high buzzing sound.
Christmas beetle
(Anoplognathus montanus) PDF Version in DOWNLOADS
Colour: vary from creamy to bronze & bright orange
Length: about 15 mm
Active period of Adults: Summer
Habitat: Dry eucalypt - open forests, suburban / rural gardens
Status: very common NE in Victoria
Distribution: New South Wales & Queensland
Additional notes: These beetles can be found in very large numbers throughout Victoria during the summer. The adults congregate & can defoliate young eucalypt trees causing serious damage, sometimes if you're lucky enough during the day they reveal a high vivid metallic sheen with the sun reflecting on the bodies acting like jewels.
Elephant Weevil
(Orthorhinus cylindrirostris)
Colour: smoky grey
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: Widespread across most of Australia including Tasmania except Western Australia & Northern Territory.
Additional notes: Adults are often found on Currajong trees. Found under bright lights at night time.
Green Carab Beetle
(Calosoma schayer)
Colour: iridescent green
Length: about 15mm
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Habitat: Suburban, rural gardens
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: Australia wide including Tasmania
Additional notes: tend to bite if you pick them up. Fly at night
Common Eucalypt Longicorn
(Phoracantha semipunctata)
Colour: black body with caramel bar in the middle & at the end of abdomen
Length: 15-20mm
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Habitat: Dry eucalypt open forests, suburban / rural gardens
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: not sure on other states
Additional notes: This beetle despite its name, is one of the most common Longicorns in NE Victoria. The grubs develop inside eucalypt trees, adults emerge out of the trees when the weather conditions are right, leaving a large bullet hole shape outside the tree. Longicorns are given these names because their antennae is usually longer than the body length, Australia has about 1,200 Native Species.
Passalid Beetle
Colour: brown to black
Length: about 20mm
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Habitat: Suburban, country gardens
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: Queensland, NSW, VIC & Tasmania
Additional notes: Adults & larvae live inside rotting logs to breed, there are over 34 species of Passalids in Australia.
Pin Tail Beetle
(Mordella multiguttata)
Active period of Adults: Spring, Summer to Autumn
Habitat: Eucalypt forests
Size: 10 mm
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: Not sure
St. John's Wort Leaf Beetle
(Chrysonlina hyperici)
Active period of Adults: Spring and Summer
Colour: metallic green
Length: about 6 mm
Habitat: along side country roads, Warby Ranges Victoria
Status: common in NE Victoria
Disttribution: New South Wales, Australia - Not sure on other states
Additional notes: St. John's wort was introduced into Australia during the 1930's, with introducing 3 beetles that only feed on the weed. The beetle which is native of Europe, was first introduced to North America in 1793 in Pennsylvania. It became established in Eastern Canada by 1883. Over much of its range in Canada it has been successfully controlled by the introduction of insects that feed only on St. John's wort.
Rough Shouldered Longicorn
(Scolecobrotus westwoodi)
IMAGE***** COMING SOON!
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Habitat: open woodlands, dry sclerophyll forests
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: found in Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales & Tasmania.
Golden Stag Beetle
(Lamprima aurata)
IMAGE***** COMING SOON!
Colour: iridescent green
Length: about 3.5cm, females are smaller
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Habitat: Suburban, country gardens, eucalypt forests
Larval food: grubs feed on rotting wood
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: NSW & Queensland
Additional notes: Males have a distinguishable pair of mandibles (insects jaws), in the breeding season they fight other males over the female.
Soldier Beetle
(Cantharus Lugubris)
IMAGE***** COMING SOON!
Colour: Green body with orange band between head, with yellow abdomen
Length: about 1.2cm
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Habitat: Suburban, country gardens
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: also in NSW Australia
White-Spotted Feather Horn
IMAGE***** COMING SOON!
Colour: black body, feathery antennae with white spots
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Habitat: eucalypt forests, urban / rural environments
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: Not sure on other states
Yellow Longicorn
(Phoracantha recurva)
IMAGE***** COMING SOON!
Active period of Adults: Spring & Summer
Habitat: Open woodlands, Eucalypt forests
Status: common in NE Victoria
Distribution: Widespread across all states in Australia including Tasmania.