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- This page contains information and pictures about Scarab Beetles in Family Scarabaeidae
that
we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
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 - Christmas Beetles - picture taken on New Year Eve
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- The beetles in this family are usually medium to large size, occasionally
with bright colour. They have distinctive lamellate antennae which
opens like a small fan and they can close it together as a compact club. Beetles in other families may have the
similar lamellate antenna but they cannot close it. Legs, especially the fore coaxes,
are usually shaped good for digging. Adults beetles usually feed on leaves and flowers.
Most of them have functional wings and are active flyers.
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- Their larvae are grub-liked, always live in concealed habitats, feeding
on roots, dung or decaying plants materials. They are sluggish, cylindrical, c-shaped, with a
well-developed head and legs. Since they live usually next to the food source
and they seldom need to move.
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- We found many different species of Scarab Beetles, they are listed in
subfamilies as follows;
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 Subfamily Scarabaeinae - Dunk Beetles- Beetles in this subfamily have the round stout body. Usually they are black,
dark brown or dark green in
colour. They do not have the triangle-shaped scutellum. They have very long
hind legs. Their front legs are short but strong which are for digging in soil
and dung. Adult Dung Beetle males and females usually look differently. Most males
have the prominent horn while females luck such armatures. Larvae are
hump-backed and most feed on marsupial dung. Some others feed on fungi or
decaying plant materials.
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 Subfamily Melolonthinae - Chafers- Their life cycle is usually more than one year. Larvae are C-shaped and
soil-dwelling, feed on roots and other organic matter. They pupate in cell
deep in soil. When become adults, they stay remains in the cell, wait until
rain softens the soil and come out. This makes the adults come out from soil
in the same time, synchronizes as the mating flight. Most of them active at
night but some feed during the day.
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 Subfamily Rutelinae - Christmas Beetles- Adults feed and mate on tree during the day, lay eggs in soil or under
fallen bark and logs. Their life cycle is usually more than one year.
Larvae are C-shaped and soil-dwelling, feed on roots and other organic
matter. They pupate in cell deep in soil. Some genus in this subfamily are
known as Christmas Beetles, huge number appear during Christmas days in
Australia. They hang on tree just like the decorations on Christmas
tree.
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 Subfamily Dynastinae - Black Scarab- Beetles in this subfamily are stout bodied, usually black or dark brown
in colour. Males and females may look different in this subfamily. Males
bear horns which are disproportionately large. Adults do not feed on
leaves and are active at night. Larvae live in soil feed on roots or
decaying plant matter or rotten logs.
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 Subfamily Cetoniinae - Flower Beetles- Beetles in this subfamily are some what flattened, some are metallic in
colour. They active during the day, most are seen feeding on flowers.
Adults' mouth-parts are modified for nectar feeding. They are active
flyer, can fly rapidly by spreading their wings without raising the elytra.
Larvae live in soil and feed on rotten wood or decaying plant materials.
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- Reference:
- 1. Insects
of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University
Press, 2nd Edition 1991, p 627.
- 2. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus
& Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p228.
- 3. Beetles of Australia - Trevor J Hawkeswood, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1987,
p31.
- 4. SCARABAEIDAE - Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2008.
- 5. A
Guide to the Beetles of Australia - George Hangay and Paul
Zborowski, CSIRO PUBLISHING April 2010, p86.
- 6. Northern
Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009.
[ Home ] [ Scarabaeinae ] [ Melolonthinae ] [ Rutelinae ] [ Dynastinae ] [ Cetoniinae ]
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