#1312-1319 - True Bugs
#1312 - Calliphara imperialis
Photo by Joel Fostin, at Agnes Water in northern Queensland.
Calliphara imperialis is one of the Metallic Shield Bugs (Scutelleridae) and as well as being one spectacular bug, has another claim to fame - it was first scientifically described in 1775, making it one of the first insect species noted from Australia.
Doing some digging revealed that that part of Queensland was also one of the places James Cook and his shipload of enthusiastic biologists came ashore to collect samples, such as the plant Pandanus tectorius. And these bugs were on a Pandanus tectorius.
#1313 - Cantao parentum - Mallotus Shield Bug
Photo by Clinton Howard, Qunaba, Queensland.
Another spectacular Scutellerid bug, from a genus found across the Indomalaya, Wallacea, New Guinea and Australia biogeographical regions. As the common name suggests, this species is often found congregating on Mallotus, a tree in the spurge family.
#1315 - Achilus flammeus - Red Fungus Bug
Photo by Sam Yeeha.
A very colourful Achilid planthopper, native to Australia but accidentally introduced to New Zealand. I have very little information on them - they’re the least understood family of Fulgoroid planthoppers. The nymphs of some Achilids are known to feed on fungus, under bark, which is probably why they’re called fungus bugs, but I have no idea why this one is so colourful when most are quite drab.
#1316 - Neovulturnus sp.
Possibly Neovulturnus vanduzeei. A minute Cicadellid planthopper that I spotted on a Fijian Fire Plant - Acalypha sp.
Perth.
#1317 - Lycus trabeatus - Tailed Net-winged Beetle
Australian insects are my field of expertise, obviously, but sometimes people get lucky when they ask me about species from elsewhere. Kevin Barry, for example, was sent this photo from his brother in South Africa.
As it happened, one of the members of the WA Naturalists Club had returned from Botswana a few months previously, and while his main interest was the birds, he had a few photos of the local inverts as well. Naturally, my laser focus locked onto the latter, and I started digging. One of them, identical to the one above, turned out to be one of these spectacular Lycid beetles, which is native to a fair swathe of southern and eastern Afrotropics.
Adults feed on nectar, and larvae probably eat fungus.
#1318 - Zoraida sp - Derbid Planthopper
Photo by John-Michael Koens, at Mt. Tamborine, QLD.
Charming little weirdos with bulging eyes and long narrow wings, usually found hanging upside-down from leaves and branches. Like the Achilidae, it’s believed that the nymphs feed on fungus.
#1319 - Aulacosternum nigrorubrum - False Stainer
Well, that’s… sophisticated.
Photo by Maya Harrison, at Mt Blackwood, near Mackay, North Queensland.
Aulacosternum nigrorubrum is a Coreid bug, and judging by most of the photos online, very fond of Hibiscus.
Photo by Joel Fostin, at Agnes Water in northern Queensland.
Calliphara imperialis is one of the Metallic Shield Bugs (Scutelleridae) and as well as being one spectacular bug, has another claim to fame - it was first scientifically described in 1775, making it one of the first insect species noted from Australia.
Doing some digging revealed that that part of Queensland was also one of the places James Cook and his shipload of enthusiastic biologists came ashore to collect samples, such as the plant Pandanus tectorius. And these bugs were on a Pandanus tectorius.
#1313 - Cantao parentum - Mallotus Shield Bug
Photo by Clinton Howard, Qunaba, Queensland.
Another spectacular Scutellerid bug, from a genus found across the Indomalaya, Wallacea, New Guinea and Australia biogeographical regions. As the common name suggests, this species is often found congregating on Mallotus, a tree in the spurge family.
#1315 - Achilus flammeus - Red Fungus Bug
Photo by Sam Yeeha.
A very colourful Achilid planthopper, native to Australia but accidentally introduced to New Zealand. I have very little information on them - they’re the least understood family of Fulgoroid planthoppers. The nymphs of some Achilids are known to feed on fungus, under bark, which is probably why they’re called fungus bugs, but I have no idea why this one is so colourful when most are quite drab.
#1316 - Neovulturnus sp.
Possibly Neovulturnus vanduzeei. A minute Cicadellid planthopper that I spotted on a Fijian Fire Plant - Acalypha sp.
Perth.
#1317 - Lycus trabeatus - Tailed Net-winged Beetle
Australian insects are my field of expertise, obviously, but sometimes people get lucky when they ask me about species from elsewhere. Kevin Barry, for example, was sent this photo from his brother in South Africa.
As it happened, one of the members of the WA Naturalists Club had returned from Botswana a few months previously, and while his main interest was the birds, he had a few photos of the local inverts as well. Naturally, my laser focus locked onto the latter, and I started digging. One of them, identical to the one above, turned out to be one of these spectacular Lycid beetles, which is native to a fair swathe of southern and eastern Afrotropics.
Adults feed on nectar, and larvae probably eat fungus.
#1318 - Zoraida sp - Derbid Planthopper
Photo by John-Michael Koens, at Mt. Tamborine, QLD.
Charming little weirdos with bulging eyes and long narrow wings, usually found hanging upside-down from leaves and branches. Like the Achilidae, it’s believed that the nymphs feed on fungus.
#1319 - Aulacosternum nigrorubrum - False Stainer
Well, that’s… sophisticated.
Photo by Maya Harrison, at Mt Blackwood, near Mackay, North Queensland.
Aulacosternum nigrorubrum is a Coreid bug, and judging by most of the photos online, very fond of Hibiscus.