Fiddler beetle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eupoecila australasiae |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: |
Eupoecila
|
| Species: |
E. australasiae
|
| Binomial name | |
| Eupoecila australasiae (Donovan, 1805)
|
|
The fiddler beetle, also known as the rose chafer, is a very colorful insect. It is a type of scarab beetle found in eastern Australia. This beetle is famous for its bright green or yellow and black patterns.
Contents
The Fiddler Beetle
The fiddler beetle gets its common name from its unique body pattern. This pattern looks a lot like a violin, which is sometimes called a fiddle.
What Does It Look Like?
The fiddler beetle is about 15 to 20 millimeters long. That's roughly the length of your thumbnail! Its body has a cool pattern of dark brown and bright lime green or yellow.
Where Does It Live?
You can find the fiddler beetle in eastern Australia. It lives in places like Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and southeastern South Australia. These beetles like to live in heathlands and eucalypt woodlands. They can also be found in suburban parks and gardens, even near people's homes!
Life Cycle of the Fiddler Beetle
The life of a fiddler beetle starts as an egg. Female beetles lay their eggs in rotting logs, or sometimes in debris or soil.
- Larvae: Once the eggs hatch, tiny larvae emerge. These larvae are like grubs. They spend their time eating rotting wood. This helps them grow bigger and stronger.
- Pupae: When the larvae are ready, they make a special cocoon-like chamber inside the wood. This is where they change into pupae. It's a bit like a caterpillar changing into a butterfly.
- Adults: After some time, the adult beetles come out. They dig their way through the soil and appear in early summer. Adult fiddler beetles enjoy feeding on nectar from flowers. They especially like flowers from plants such as Angophora hispida, Angophora woodsiana, Backhousia citriodora, and Melaleuca linariifolia.
How It Flies
Fiddler beetles are strong flyers. They belong to a group of scarab beetles called flower chafers. These beetles have a special way of flying. They can fly without moving their hard outer wings, called elytra. This allows them to spend a lot of time flying around. They are often seen searching for nectar and other plant juices.
