They used to fly in the house if you left the windows open on a hot summer night. I haven't seen any around in years, but that may be because I live in a different part of the country now. I drew these at the Australian Museum.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Christmas beetles - Alissa Duke
It is Christmas time and one of the things I associate with this time of the year is Christmas beetles (Anoplognathus) . I have just discovered that they are Australian. I had wondered what people in other countries would have called them, as they are a summer beetle, and therefore wouldn't be around at Christmas. Now I know.
They used to fly in the house if you left the windows open on a hot summer night. I haven't seen any around in years, but that may be because I live in a different part of the country now. I drew these at the Australian Museum.
They used to fly in the house if you left the windows open on a hot summer night. I haven't seen any around in years, but that may be because I live in a different part of the country now. I drew these at the Australian Museum.
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We also have them in South Africa Alissa - they appear from November through our Christmas, which is in summer, and are also called Christmas beetles, and they are a light Burnt Sienna colour. Great colours on the sketch.
ReplyDeleteSweet little drawings. Nice name these beetles have ;)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful job on these, Alissa...I'd never heard of Christmas beetles.
ReplyDeleteThanks - Maree - that is really interesting to know you have them too. SA & Australia often have some common flora and now I know that they have beetles as well. I read that there are 35 types of CHristmas beetles. The brown/yellow coloured ones were the regular visitors.
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