I was working in the garden yesterday afternoon and came across this beetle. As I've remarked in my New Zealand Blog, I have a very different outlook on things like beetles from that which I used to have. So instead of ignoring it I followed it around with my camera and then got out the insect book. I'm used to looking things up for myself and am very proud when I can just go to the correct section of the book. It would be so easy just to say to CJ "What's this" which is what I would do, of course, if we were out for a walk.
This was (I hope) relatively easy to identify as a Ctenicera cuprea - a click beetle or Elastiradae. In fact it's one of about 7000 species of the family. Big families these beetles have. I think it was a female although it's a bit hard to tell from the photo - their antennae are less toothed than the male.
I've come across click beetles before in New Zealand. They are elongated beetles named for the ability to leap into the air and right themselves when laid on their backs; an action which is accompanied with a loud click.
This was (I hope) relatively easy to identify as a Ctenicera cuprea - a click beetle or Elastiradae. In fact it's one of about 7000 species of the family. Big families these beetles have. I think it was a female although it's a bit hard to tell from the photo - their antennae are less toothed than the male.
I've come across click beetles before in New Zealand. They are elongated beetles named for the ability to leap into the air and right themselves when laid on their backs; an action which is accompanied with a loud click.
We saw onwe of these this time last year and I blogged it - http://tigh-na-mara.angelfire.com/hebrides/index.blog/1275014/wednesday-6th-june-2007/
ReplyDeleteBut unlike you I was unable to idemtify it - not even getting the fsmily right. So now I've added another species to my beetle list - thanks v. much!