[Picspam] Jewel Beetles; it's definitely Spring! :)

[moonvoice]

For once, Spring is on time. In previous years, the jewel beetles have either been coming two weeks early / two weeks late. And two years ago, they were an entire month early, signalling a premature end to Winter, and the start of sunnier things to come.

I can't believe our garden already has jewel beetles! I am so happy. These photos came from our own garden! Whee!

It's not iridescence if your legs aren't iridescent too.







Acacias are weird and awesome. I love how each flower is essentially a little puffball of pollen. But I love them even more just before they've started flowering, when they look like some kind of mutant piece of corn.



Jewel beetles tend to react with mad hiding when a camera lens comes close to them. Fortunately, like many skinks, they are damned slow moving. This one was backing away. So I got a head shot.

Comments

Re: Jewel Beetles, Hah

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know it's a different kind of beetle, but I have the tendency to view any shiny green beetle as a 'June bug'. Unless it is shield-shaped, in which case it is a 'stink bug', whether it actually makes a stink or not.

How big are your jewel beetles? Its legs don't look sturdy enough to tie a string around. Our true June bugs from Tennessee were about 3 - 4" long, clumsy & heavy-bodied. If one was flying along & hit you in the forehead it would leave a mark.

Re: Jewel Beetles, Hah

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

No these guys are teeny, about the size of my little fingernail. Some of them are a bit bigger; and I'm sure in the Queensland rainforests they get some giants... but yeah. :)

And wow, bugs that big? AWESOME!!!! :D

Re: Big Bugs

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

Most people probably don't even pay attention to your garden jewels - you seem to have a knack for finding small beautiful things :D

We do get some enormous bugs here in the states. Walking stick bugs, praying mantis, June bugs, tarantulas... but I think you Aussies have us beat in the enormous terrifying insect category - you've got the 'bird-eating spider'

Re: Big Bugs

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have always liked the little things. I can spend a very long time laying on the grass watching ants...