Monday 10 December 2012

Plague Soldier Beetles

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Not sure if anyone else is infested with these critters but I did a bit of research and they are are called Plague Soldier Beetles.  These beetles are harmless (although distasteful to predators) and congregate in large numbers for mating purposes.  The larvae of this species live in the soil and feed on soft bodied invertebrates, while the adults feed on pollen and nectar. They do not eat the plants but sometimes the weight of them can break branches.  The air is full of them darting around at our place but apparently they move  on in a few days (we've had they for a week so hopefully soon!)

More info here:
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Plague-Soldier-Beetle




2 comments:

  1. Thanks for the tip. We saw them covered over tree trunks yesterday at the Coburg
    Outdoor pool.

    ReplyDelete
  2. They are in Parkville now too!

    ReplyDelete