PLANNING AND ORGANIZING COMMITTEE 2009

President:

Vice President:

Treasurer:

Secretary:

Newsletter:

Publicity & Library:

Excursion Convenor:

Ross Kendall 07 3378 1187

John Moss 07 3245 2997

Rob MacSloy 07 3824 4348

Peter Hendry 07 3206 0048

Daphne Bowden (daphne.bowden1 @bigpond.com)07 3396 6334

Lois Hughes 07 3206 6229

Alisha Steward 07 3275 1186

PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION MEETINGS

A quarterly meeting is scheduled in order to plan club activities and the magazine.

See BOIC Programme.

CONTACT ADDRESS AND MEMBERSHIP DETAILS

PO Box 2113, Runcorn, Queensland 4113

Membership fees are $25 for individuals, schools and organizations

AIMS OF ORGANIZATION

e To establish a network of people growing butterfly host plants;

e To hold information meetings about invertebrates;

e To organize excursions around the theme of invertebrates e.g. butterflies, native

bees, ants, dragonflies, beetles, freshwater habitats, and others;

e To promote the conservation of the invertebrate habitat;

e To promote the keeping of invertebrates as alternative pets;

e To promote research into invertebrates;

e To encourage the construction of invertebrate friendly habitats in urban areas.

MAGAZINE DEADLINES

If you want to submit an item for publication the following deadlines apply:

March issue — February 21° June issue — May 21°

September issue — August 21° December issue — November 21°

Paropsisterna sexpustulata - Painting by Lois Hughes. Prints of this painting may be

available from the artist. Ph. 07 3206 6229

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 2

FROM THE PRESIDENT

The seasons seem to come and go at a faster rate as we grow older but at the time of

writing this report (August 23") we appear to have had an even shorter winter here in

Southeast Queensland with temperatures that are well above average this week. The

insects seem to believe that winter is over as the first Bottle Cicadas are calling 1n the

late afternoon, Meadow Argus, Chequered Swallowtails, Blue Triangles, Lemon

Migrants, Evening Browns and numerous small blues are on the wing while Common

Crows, that have been present for months, have decided to commence laying eggs.

Sugar ants have commenced nightly patrols and Polyrachis ants have started scouting

away from their leaf shelters. Of course, there is still scope for winter to return in the

coming weeks.....

In the middle of last year, Lois Hughes found a small beetle with red spots and

decided she would like to paint it for a “cover story” in Metamorphosis Australia.

Richard Zietek and John Moss were given the task of producing the story. Over a

year later and after much research and consultation, the final results are published in

this edition. It was worth the wait to read the text and to see Lois’ painting and the

images by Peter Hendry and Russel Denton.

Many thanks to all the other contributors who will forgive me for making special

mention of Murdoch De Baar’s article on Jewel Beetles and Wesley Jenkinson’s

report on his detailed observations of the life cycles of two species of Grass-darts.

Enjoy. Best wishes Ross

Creature Feature - An introduction to Paropsine Leaf Beetles... eeeccceeeeeeeeeees 4

An interesting record of the Hawkmoth (Macroglossum prometheus lineatum)........ 10

Jewel Beetles (Coleoptera:Buprestidae) : some viewS and Notes .............ccceseecceeeeeeeees 12

Life History Notes on the Narrow-brand Grass-att ...............cccccccssecccesseeeceeeceeeeeeeees 16

The Flame Flatwing (Austroargiolestes AMADLIL) ....ccccccccccesccccussccccsesccccaeccenenececaaeeceees 20

4" Biannual Moth Meeting - Canberra 2009 ........ccccccccecsecessecessecesseceececeesecececsceecseeees 21

Cuckoo Wasps (Hymenoptera : Chrysididae) .............cccccssececceseccceeseceeeescceeeeeceeeeeceeees 22

At The Light Trap - The Return of the Crambidae.......... ccc ecccccessecceceeeeceeeeeeeceeees 23

Book Reviews - Moths of Victoria - Part 2.00... ccccccccssccccesecccesececeeecceeenececeeneceseeees 26

The secret-Lite OF Caterpillars... s.ccccecdtcagursdessiy vteastrurcasdesecentateocardees Pg

PL IGACLUTD S aitaMastraieh eas inetastoniauh cod teatetterscentcrsloaiuuernsenl esd Lensuetiatgrhceiiegioaesneateosiyyiawhiwbacoer nei 28

Under the Microscope - Leaf-infesting nematodes .............ceccccesscccceseeccceneceeeeeeceeeeees 28

Merging photos to improve depth of field... eeeeeeeees 29

NOU ASK SON sss Gohan pdestisants Uubeaielecvyeatu dG eysagulshtnsde ds caddeemedaaardetearasadcebnadelenassababendadeannts 29

ECDC Er FOS PAINTS. walnts stiveces snavaratetiwesensnteaerstsueksenaeaapertediwece nepaeabaietaweseaseaantred eensensnanrey 3]

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club 454 Z Page 3

CREATURE FEATURE

An Introduction to Paropsine Leaf Beetles : John T. Moss and

Richard Zietek

Identification and brief description

These beetles belong to the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Chrysomelinae, the

largest subfamily in Australia, which includes some 750 species in 42 genera. They

are in the tribe Paropsini, of which the commonly observed genera are Dicranosterna,

Paropsis, Paropsisterna and Trachymela |the related genus Chrysophtharta Weise

having recently been incorporated into Paropsisterna (Reid, 2006)]. Identification of

adult paropsine leaf beetles to species level 1s difficult due to the lack of useful keys.

Chris Reid (pers. comm.) defines paropsine beetles as “chrysomelines with elytra

extended at the sides to hide the body in lateral view and which feed on eucalypts and

wattles”’.

Adult paropsines range in size generally from 4 mm to 18 mm and many species have

quite colourful markings (which often fade after death) with patterned thorax and

elytra. Adult beetles look rather like ladybird beetles, Coccinellidae, but the structure

of the tarsi (feet) and antennae are different. Leaf beetle antennae are up to half as

long as the body, filiform (slender) and usually uniformly multi-segmented. Ladybird

beetle antennae are much shorter, have thickened (‘clavate’) tips and can be held

tightly against the head and thorax. There are several more technical characters that

better separate these two lookalike families which readers can access from other

sources. Due to the high diversity of species and poor current knowledge of the

taxonomy of the group, distributions of individual species are generally not recorded.

Some common examples

Some paropsine leaf beetles are major pests of eucalypt plantations and can cause

serious defoliations eg Paropsis atomaria, Paropsisterna cloelia and P. bimaculata,

this last “‘a notorious forest pest in

Tasmania” (Lawrence and Britton,

1991). The eucalypt feeding

Paropsisterna sexpustulata complex

involves at least 6 species which are

difficult to separate. At least two of

these, P. sexpustulata (Marsham)

and P. beata (Newman), are 10 to

14 mm long, ovate and convex (or

dome-shaped), shiny black species,

with six orange spots on the elytra

(wing covers) and two on the Paropsisterna cloelia

thorax. The former species appears Photo Russel Denton (RD)

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 4

to have at least two colour forms: the typical orange-spotted form and a yellow-

spotted morph. Honan (2008) illustrates this latter colour form as Paropsis sexguttata

and the Queensland Museum’s ‘Wildlife of Tropical North Queensland’ illustrates the

typical form as ‘Paropsis sexguttata complex’.

Paropsisterna sexpustulata (12mm long)

Orange-spotted form Yellow-spotted morph

Photos Peter Hendry (PH)

Dicranosterna, formerly placed 1n a separate tribe (Dicranosternin1), contains several

common Australian species. D. picea is a common wattle feeding species in

southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales. It is often found on “Black

Wattles” — Acacia concurrens, A. leiocalyx etc. At 14 mm long, it 1s one of our larger

species. Hockings (1980) illustrated larva, pupa and adult as Paropsis brunnea. Peter

Chew’s 2004 CD-ROM ‘Brisbane Insects and Spiders’ illustrated it as Paropsis

immaculata. However, Chris Reid reports that the author’s more recent website

correctly identifies the two common brown species, D. picea and D. immaculata. D.

circe, at 11 mm, 1s also a wattle feeder. It has a common white form and a less

common yellow morph. Hawkeswood (1987) illustrated it as Paropsis pedestris

Blackburn. In southeast Queensland it feeds commonly on Hickory Wattle (Acacia

disparimma — was A. aulococarpa).

oe , 4 1

Dicranosterna picea - 14 mm long adult and larva (RD)

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 5

a / i*

- he - a e* es %~. ®. .

&. , el 7s

Ge ae oeete%a

Figs. 1, 2 & 3 - Dicranosterna circe (adults 10 mm long) Fig.4-Larva Figs. 5 & 6—Pupae

Photos - Figs. 1,4,5&6 (PH) Figs. 2&3 (RD)

Lifecycle

Eggs are laid directly onto leaves or stems near new growth, usually in patterns

characteristic of individual species, either singly, or end to end in a line, or side by

side in rows or in a collar around a leaf stem. Eggs are vulnerable to predators such as

ladybirds, predatory bugs and tiny parasitic wasps. Newly hatched larvae feed

eregariously (in a group), at first, chewing patches on the leaf surface. As they mature

they may stay together or feed by themselves. Fully developed larvae move down the

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 6

tree to pupate in the soil or leaf litter. According to Gunter Maywald (pers. comm. ),

P. sexpustulata feeds on eucalypt foliage and over-winters as adults under loose bark

at the base of the host trees. Moore (1996) reported this (and the sibling species P.

beata) as feeding “in summer on various species of feathery-leaved wattles, and out

of season, are often to be found hibernating under loose bark of standing gum trees”’.

Lois Hughes (pers. comm.) has captive individuals that are currently feeding on the

eucalypt leaves that they were found on! It 1s our opinion, and that also of Dobrosak

(2001), that paropsine species can be found on trees and shrubs of other species

adjacent to their actual host plants. This would explain the apparent anomaly of

Moore, 1996. Reid (2006) reviewed host records, but not all species hosts were

identified.

Many of these beetles are relatively long-lived and take readily to captivity. They can

make charming and colourful little pets! Some Paropsis larvae defend themselves by

producing hydrocyanic acid from glands in the abdominal segment 8. Many adult

beetles also produce this chemical, so care should be exercised when handling these

insects.

References

Dobrosak, D. 2001. Notes on the biology and distribution of Paropsisterna

semifumata (Blackburn) (Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae) in southeastern

Australia. Australian Entomologist 28 (4) pp105-110

Hawkeswood, T. 1987. Beetles of Australia. Angus and Robertson Publishers

Hockings, F.D. 1980. Friends and Foes of Australian Gardens. A.H. & A.W.

Reed Publishers

Honan, P. 2008. Beetles and Bugs — A Wild Australia Guide. Steve Parish

Publishing

Lawrence, J.F. and Britton, E.B. 1991. Coleoptera: in The Insects of Australia

(CSIRO) Vol 2, Second Edition. Melbourne University Press

Moore, B.P. 1996. A guide to the Beetles of South-eastern Australia. Fascicle

12, p194. Australian Entomological Press

Reid, C.A.M. 2006. A taxonomic revision of the Australian Chrysomelinae,

with a key to the genera (Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae). Zootaxa 1292: 1-120

Further Information

Chris Reid, Australian Museum & ABRS websites —

www.faunanet.gov.au/faunakeys/chrysomelinae intro.htm

www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-

resources/fauna/afd/taxa/Chrysomelinae

DPI& F notes - Leaf Beetles (Paropsines) —

http://www2.dp1.qld.gov.au/hardwoodsqld/93 13 .html

Brisbane Insects - Leaf Beetles / Paropsisterna -

http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_leafbeetles/EucalyptusLeaf4.htm

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club 454 a Page 7

Photographs — Russel Denton and Peter Hendry

Acknowledgements

Dr.Chris Reid - Australian Museum, Sydney, for reviewing the mss.

Gunter Maywald - CSIRO Long Pocket Laboratories, Brisbane, for helpful comments

Gallery of leaf-eating beetles, family Chrysomelidae, from Brisbane area

[photographs by Russel Denton (RD)| and Bolivia Hill NSW [photographs by

Peter Hendry (PH)]

Yur Yas

7 Re, .

Celtis Leaf Beetle — Menippus cynicus (RD) — Chrysomelid sp. (approx. 12 mm long ) (PH)

Paropsisterna sp. (approx. 7mm long) (PH) Paropsis maculata (10 mm long) (RD)

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 8

Paropsis obsoleta (RD)

Paropsisterna 8-maculata (7mm long) (RD) Paropsisterna sp (16mm long) (PH)

Paropsisterna nobilitata complex (approx. 7mm long) (PH) Paropsisterna sp. (RD)

VIPPL TPT PS PTET PART PFT PPO Pa PT Pe PT hd be

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 9

ITEMS OF INTEREST

An Interesting Record of the Hawkmoth Macroglossum prometheus

lineatum Lucas (Lepidoptera : Sphingidae) from the Northern

Territory : David Lane

Australia contains a rich fauna of hawkmoths (family Sphingidae) with around 70

species currently recognised. Within Australia the genus Macroglossum Scopoli was

the subject of a revision by Max Moulds in 1985, and currently contains 13

Australian species. The world fauna of moths belonging to this genus has a wide

distribution ranging from Africa and Europe through Asia, and extending to the Indo-

Australian region. It 1s especially rich in species in New Guinea and Indonesia.

Macroglossum species are often referred to as Hummingbird Hawkmoths, due to their

ability to hover in front of flowers for extended periods whilst they actively feed from

| the available nectar source,

| | | utilising their well developed

= \@ { — proboscis, or tongue. They

a \ i have a well developed “fan

iA’ \ tail” of expansible hair-like

brushes on the lower

abdominal segments, which

amongst other purposes serve

as a braking and control agent

in flight. This behaviour has

led to their popular observed

identity as being allied to

miniature Hummingbirds.

Various species may be active

during the day or at night —

most however are nocturnal, with a preference to begin feeding from flowers around

dusk. Some are noted migrants, with one particular species, Macroglossum micaceum

micaceum Walker, having been observed 1n conspicuous numbers in northern

Queensland and arriving in south east Queensland and northern NSW in following

weeks. Another species, Macroglossum vacillans Walker, can be quite prolific in

numbers during certain wet summers in northern Australia, particularly in close

proximity to its larval foodplant Strychnos (Loganiaceae) species. It appears to

migrate from northern areas in a southerly direction over a period of several nights,

with considerable numbers of adult moths turning up at mercury vapour light traps in

areas where no suitable foodplants grow.

Fig. | Adult M. prometheus lineatum

During a visit to Darwin in March 2009, many Macroglossum larvae were found

feeding on a small tree Morinda citrifolia L. (Rubiaceae) at several areas, including

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 10

East Point and Leanyer. These larvae were reared through to adult moths which

proved to be M. prometheus lineatum Lucas. Final instar larvae leave the foodplant

trees to pupate and web together several dead leaves on the ground at a convenient

sheltered location, in which they pupate. Larvae of M. prometheus lineatum have also

been found feeding on M. citrifolia at Silver Plains, near Coen, North Queensland.

Adult moths of M. p. lineatum have been collected from Cape York to Mackay in

Queensland, as well as New Guinea and adjacent islands. The nominal subspecies

ranges from Sri Lanka and India, through Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippine

Islands (Moulds 1985).

M. prometheus lineatum has previously been recorded from the Northern Territory at

Rimbya Island, Cape Wessel (Moulds 1985). These records from Darwin confirm the

species distribution further to the west along the top coastal area of the Northern

Territory. The attached figures show the adult moth (Fig 1) and all larval instars (first

to fifth instar, Figs 2-6) as well as the pupa (Fig 7).

—_as

Fig.2- 1“ instar Fig.3- 2™ instar Fig.4-3"™ instar Fig.5—4" instar Fig.6—5™ instar Fig. 7 —Pupa

Photos David Lane

PIPT PTET PAPI TPT Pg PIP Pa PT bd PF Pe Pa PT bd bg

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 11

Reference

Moulds, M.S., 1985. A review of the Australian hawk moths of the genus

Macroglossum Scopoli (Lepidoptera : Sphingidae). Australian Entomological

Magazine 12(5): 81- 105

KREEKKEKKEKKKEKRKEKEEEE

Jewel Beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): some views and notes

: Murdoch De Baar debaar@powerup.com.au

Jewel beetles are some of our most colourful insects, often displaying stunning

metallic blues and greens, with red and yellow splashes, whilst flashing around in the

bright sun. Further to the 1000-odd named species, there are also many undescribed

species in Australia.

‘Jewels’ or ‘rough diamonds’? Most of

these beetles are stem or trunk borers (where

the general biology is known), however little

is known about the majority of them, other

than their original anatomical descriptions.

We do know about our Hoop Pine jewel

beetle, Prospheres aurantiopictus which has

larvae that sustain slowed development of up

to 25 years in seasoned timber, because it

pops out under your nose, from your prized

pine table that you paid good money for!

However adults are not able to re-infest

seasoned timber, so exit holes should be

packed with wood filler and painted over.

——E—-—

Fig. 1. Hoop Pine jewel beetle chewing

foliage of a Hoop Pine (Photo M. Ramsden )

—

Fig. 2. Hoop Pine jewel beetle pictured shows a Fig. 3. Hoop Pine jewel beetle pictured shows

yellow-spotted form (Photo M. Ramsden ) a red-spotted form (Photo M. Ramsden )

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 12

Michael Ramsden, a Plantation Health Officer of the Forestry Plantations

Queensland, has photographed the three adult colour forms of the Hoop Pine jewel

beetle (Figs. 1, 2, 3). He has observed adults chewing Hoop Pine foliage at Imbil

State Forest in southern Queensland.

Pseudotaenia waterhousei (Fig. 4) is a large 30 to 50 mm long bronze green species

with powder yellow overlay, which bores into the trunks of wattle trees Acacia

leiocalyx at Dunmore State Forest via Cecil Plains, south Queensland. The larvae

which can be 75 mm long, cause trees to snap 1n the middle, giving an appearance of

storm damage, particularly considering that activity 1s often present on elevations or

ridges. The species has also been noted at Barakula State Forest via Chinchilla,

Queensland and according to literature, the species 1s known from central western areas

of southern New South Wales to southern Queensland. Adults, when disturbed, often

fly from trunk to trunk and create a loud buzzing as it flies out from behind you. The

species shows a preference to wattle thickets. A larva sinsiaiiainas 90 mm long, collected

by Forest Pathologist Geoff

Pegg, from a Brigalow stem

Acacia harpophylla, near

Tambo, south western

Queensland, was probably

Pseudotaenta ajax, a very

similar beetle in appearance

measuring about 60 mm as

an adult. E. Adams in the

News Bulletin of the

Australian Entomological

Society, Nov. 1966,

discusses how he used a rifle

to bring down his first | | |

, ; Fig. 4. The jewel beetle Pseudotaenia waterhousei near its

specimens of P. ajax from the i a, Spi

emergence exit hole on an Acacia leiocalyx trunk at Dunmore

side of Brigalow trunks at State Forest, south Queensland, 31 Dec. 1985.

Edungalba near Duaringa, (Photo Murdoch De Baar)

Queensland. He later

observed oviposition having occurred on damaged trunks. Mabel Hobler (as

Mrs.F.H.Hobler) who also lived in the Duaringa area, wrote in the Queensland

Naturalist (1925) that she observed oviposition, larval tunnelling and adults emerging

from the trunks of Brigalow.

At 40 to 50 mm, Stigmodera fortnumi (Figs. 5, 6) 1s a spectacular beetle adorned in

combinations of green and yellow. Normally unseen in set museum specimens, are

brilliant green flashes from the upper abdomen when the beetle is in flight (Fig. 5). A

loud buzzing overhead, heralds an incoming adult about to land on some paperbark

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 13 |

tea-tree (Melaleuca) or eucalypt flowers during the December/ January period at

Dunmore State Forest, via Cecil Plains, south Queensland. These beetles often land

too high in tree canopies to be closely examined. This jewel beetle is known from

South Australia to southern Queensland, however, within this “wide distribution’, its

actual presence 1s probably only in a narrow disjointed band and little else is known

about this chunky, showy jewel. It is a shame that museum specimens’ colours dull

somewhat, so the only way to fully appreciate their brilliant lustre 1s from

photographs or under natural conditions of around 40 degrees C. and lots of flies!

Fig. 5. Upper surface and upper adbominal views Fig. 6. Underside view of the large jewel beetle

of the large jewel beetle Stigmodera fortnumi from Stigmodera fortnumi from Dunmore State Forest,

Dunmore State Forest, southern Queensland, 4 Jan. southern Queensland, 4 Jan. 1986, highlighting its

1986, highlighting its magnificent colours. magnificent colours of metallic green, yellow and

(Photo Murdoch De Baar) deep blue. (Photo Murdoch De Baar)

Curis viridicyanea (Fig. 7) 1s only

15 to 20mm long, but makes up for

its size with stunning metallic

ereenish gold. Some specimens are

an equally brilliant blue. These

beetles can also be seen at Dunmore

S.F., via Cecil Plains, south

Queensland, on Melaleuca foliage

or flowers. However, little is known

about them and they are not often

seen. The recorded distribution of

this species is from northern New

South Wales to southern Queensland,

, ; se Fig. 7. A bluish-green colour form of Curis

probably mainly in the Callitris, viridicyanea on Paperbark Tea tree flowers.

Melaleuca environments. (Photo Murdoch De Baar)

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 14

Diadoxus erythrurus, the Cypress Pine jewel beetle (Fig. 8) oviposit into stressed

and/or burnt or damaged cypress pine ( Callitris spp.) trees, or logs that are freshly

cut and not hauled to the mill for processing quickly enough. This is referred to as a

log hygiene problem. The larvae tunnel under the bark and into the cambial layer

where they feed, occasionally penetrating a little further. The larval development is

slowed in seasoned timber, but emergences after 2 years are rare. As for the Hoop

Pine jewel beetle, the exit holes can be plugged with wood filler and painted over, as

the adults are unable to re-infest

the seasoned timber. Also, as for

the Hoop Pine jewel beetle, we

would know little about this

beetle if it did not pop out under

your nose, from your prized

polished cypress timber

supposed to be “borer resistant’.

The “true-wood” of cypress 1s

reasonably borer resistant, but

sometimes pupation chambers

Fig. 8. Cypress Pine jewel beetles Diadoxus are also cut into this wood.

erythrurus on a cut trunk of a Cypress tree Callitris Ame:

glaucophylla. (Photo Murdoch De Baar) The Cypress Pine jewel beetle has

a wide distribution from southern

West Australia across to Queensland and includes the Moreton Bay islands in

southeast Queensland, where I have observed it flying around Callitris columellaris

foliage.

Occasionally in Brisbane,

Stigmodera goryi (Fig. 9) cuts a

“mean exit hole” in a stressed

Grey Gum (Eucalyptus

propinqua) trunk. This 35 mm or

so jewel beetle is not as brilliant

as some of its relations but is still

attractively adorned with yellow

wing covers (elytra). Within

Brisbane, specimens have been

recorded at Bardon, Long Pocket

and Bowen Hills, although it’s

distribution 1s mainly coastal

New South Wales and

Queensland. Adults are attracted

to flowers of Leptospermum.

Fig. 9 Stigmodera goryi from Long Pocket in Brisbane

20 Dec. 1986 (Photo Murdoch De Baar)

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 15

Jewel beetles have been very popular with amateur entomologists, so it 1s very

surprising that so many biologies are poorly known. The emergences of some species

are initiated by wild storms or extended wet weather, which can make observations

uncomfortable and driving home through muddy roads hazardous, particularly if that

road becomes a tributary of the local creek! Obviously the tunnellings of most jewel

beetle larvae rarely catch our attention, otherwise entomologists’ extension loads

would blow out of all proportion. The reason for this 1s that activity often occurs in

natural environments, sometimes in remote areas, in noncommercial tree trunks, or at

low levels in commercial tree species. Some emergences are from old dying trees

ignored as a timber source and a number of jewel beetles are known to bore down

into the roots of trees. It is difficult for the amateur entomologist to cut and carry

home billets from those dying trees that may have jewel beetle activity. It is also

known that some jewel beetles can be observed in numbers one season and then not

be seen for years, save perhaps a couple of specimens. The explanation for this 1s

poorly understood, but perhaps it’s to do with long-lived larvae and synchronised

larval development. In some countries jewel beetles are used as jewellery.

Some adult jewel beetles are very difficult to observe, as they prefer to remain on the

topmost flowers of tall trees and some specialists have climbed trees, with some

success, to try to overcome this problem. Just consider: smooth-barked Angophora

(Myrtaceae) vigorously attract jewel beetles to their flowers, are extremely slippery in

rain and are notorious branch droppers. Do you still want to find out what’s on the

topmost flowers?!#

I i i i i ie i Ee i i sie

Life History Notes on the Narrow-brand Grass-dart, Ocybadistes

flavovittata flavovittata (Latreille, |1824|) and the Greenish Grass-

dart, Ocybadistes walkeri sothis (Waterhouse 1933) Lepidoptera:

Hesperiidae : Wesley Jenkinson

The two most frequently encountered species of Ocybadistes butterflies within South

East Queensland suburban gardens are Ocybadistes flavovittata flavovittata (Narrow-

brand Grass-dart), and Ocybadistes walkeri sothis (Greenish Grass-dart), with the

latter species being more geographically widespread and generally more numerous.

(Not be confused with the adults of two other similar looking species from the

Taractrocera and Suniana genera also breeding in my garden!)

Many butterfly enthusiasts overlook the smaller hesperids. This is often because of

their generally small size, presumed lack of vibrant colour and the degree of difficulty

to correctly identify the adults. However, they are interesting small critters to have

darting around the garden.

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club 454 7 Page 16

Ocybadistes flavovittata flavovittata (Narrow-brand Grass-dart)

F Mu

Ocybadistes walkeri sothis (Greenish Grass-dart)

In my garden, at Beaudesert, I have observed several females of the two species

ovipositing their eggs singly, with their preference for the underside of a leaf. Fisher,

1978, documented that females of O. w. sothis oviposit eggs singly on the upperside

of leaves.

On narrow leaf grasses the females often settle on the leaf top and curl the abdomen

below the leaf to oviposit. I have watched a female O. w. sothis ovipositing on a wide

leaf grass, the exotic Green Panic Megathyrus maximus (formerly Panicum

maximum). She settled on the upper surface of the leaf and then crawled below the

leaf. She then positioned herself parallel along the leaf and laid an egg tightly next to

the midrib.

Having raised several adults of the two species from eggs, at different times of the

year, I have observed the habits of the immature stages are very similar, but they do

show slight differences in their physical appearance.

The eggs of both species were similar in size and shape, being dome shaped, smooth

(with a very fine pattern) and with an approximate size of 0.5 mm high x 0.8 mm

wide.

Egg of Ocybadistes flavovittata flavovittata

Several eggs were collected from a female O. f. flavovittata. They

were pale green in colour when laid and remained this colour

throughout their duration, unlike the colour change seen 1n maturing

eggs of O. w. sothis.

Egg of Ocybadistes walkeri sothis

Several eggs were also collected from a female O. w. sothis, which

were creamy-white when laid. After two days the colour had

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 17

eradually changed to cream and the eggs had developed a broken, pinkish-red lateral

band and an apical spot.

Several larvae of the two species were raised in captivity and they had very similar

habits. Newly emerged larvae consumed most of the eggshell after emergence and

later formed a small cylindrical shelter, approximately 3-4mm in length, towards the

leaf apex of the host plant. To do this they chewed small transverse cuts from the

outer edge of the leaf towards the midrib and then curled the outer edge of the leaf

inwards by tensioning silk threads forming the cylindrical shelter. Feeding larvae

consumed both sides of the leaf margin distal to the shelter, stopping at the leaf

midrib. This caused the cylindrical shelter to hang and the larvae ate from the lower

part of the shelter. As the larvae grew and consumed most of the leaf and shelter, they

constructed a new shelter to accommodate their larger size. When raised on thin leaf

erasses the larger larvae stitched several leaves together with silk to form the shelter.

The larvae remained inside the silk-lined shelter during the day and emerged chiefly

at dawn and dusk to feed. (Fisher, 1978, described similar larval behaviour for O. w.

sothis)

Larvae raised indoors occasionally constructed their shelters and fed briefly during

daylight hours.

Larvae of both species completed five instars and attained a length of approximately

25mm.

' _ \

¢ 4 ps!

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1* & 5" instar larvae of Ocybadistes flavovittata flavovittata

1 & 5" instar larvae of

Ocybadistes walkeri

sothis

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 18

In captivity the pupae of O. w.

sothis were found inside the final

larval shelter. (As noted by

Fisher, 1978.) The posterior end

of the final instar shelter was

stitched closed and the anterior

end was left slightly open for the

adult to emerge. The three pupae

of O. w. sothis raised in captivity

had a fine, white, waxy powder

coating on their surface. This

powder was absent from all of

the O. f. flavovittata pupae

raised. Pupae of both species

Pupa of Ocybadistes flavovittata flavovittata measured 15 mm in length

When raised in captivity O .f. flavovittata eggs hatched in 10 days, larval duration

was 54 days and pupal duration 27 days - the life cycle being completed in 91 days.

(From 27" April 2008 to 27" July 2008.)

Likewise O. w. sothis eggs hatched 1n 12 days, larval duration was 66 days and pupal

duration 10 days - the life cycle being completed in 88 days. (From 9" September

2006 to 26"" November 2006.)

At Beaudesert, I have adult records for both species during eleven months of the year,

with possibly three or four overlapping generations per year. Adults are fewer in

number during the cold winter months and absent in July.

I have discovered that, locally, a commonly used host plant of O. f flavovittata 1s the

native grass Green Couch (Cynodon dactylon). Undoubtedly, other species of soft

erasses are utilised as larval host plants, including species known to be used by O. w.

sothis as listed in Braby, 2000, and Moss, 2005.

The wingspan of adults of both species show slight size variation but average

approximately 20mm for both sexes. The size and shape of the orange wing markings

also show slight variation for both sexes of the two species. The correct identification

of the adults can cause some grief, however examination of the forewing sex-scales

should identify the males. The females can be quite difficult to place and examination

of the genitalia is the best guide. The male sex brands are illustrated in three historical

books by Common and Waterhouse and two more recent books by M.F. Braby.

The flight pattern and habits of the adults of both species are very similar. Typically

both sexes settle on the upperside of grass leaves to bask 1n sunny conditions. The

males of both species typically defend small territories, perching on grass leaves and

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 19

engage in very rapid chases. The adults are readily attracted to the flowers of a wide

range of native and exotic plant species.

Typical basking stance of a male Ocybadistes Mating pair of Ocybadistes walkeri sothis

walkeri sothis

Photos Wesley Jenkinson

References:

Braby, M.F., 2000. Butterflies of Australia — Their Identification, Biology and

Distribution. vol 1. CSIRO Publishing

Fisher R.H. 1972. Butterflies of South Australia. Government Printer, Adelaide S.A.

Moss J.T. 2005 Butterfly Host Plants of south-east Queensland and northern New

South Wales. 2™ rev. edition, BOIC

i ee

The Flame Flatwing (Austroargiolestes amabilis) : Ross Kendall

The Flame Flatwing is a beautiful

damselfly usually 42-45mm long, found

near streams in dense montane rainforest

in southern Queensland and coastal New

South Wales.

I have observed males 1n an open sunny

patch 100 metres from a creek on the

upper section of Branch Creek track,

Bellthorpe Forest, in summer. This spot in

the Conondale Range 1s at an altitude of

370m at 26°52’34” S, 152°42’6” E.

Mid morning on 10" March 2007, with the

actively ovipositing on Broken Bridge

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 20

Creek at the eastern end of Bellthorpe Forest. This 1s at an altitude of 470m at

26°49°30"S, 152°44°12”E. The area has good coverage of rainforest and the creek

was running freely.

One female was seen ovipositing in moss close to the

water and the one pictured was busy laying eggs in

crevices on a log about half a metre above the water.

I have included a close up of the tip of her abdomen

showing the ovipositor. It would be an interesting |

challenge to collect some eggs, hatch them and raise o “=e

the nymphs through to adulthood as the juvenile stages

of this species are unrecorded.

Photos Ross Kendall

Tip of female abdomen

References:

Giinther Theischinger and John Hawking, 2006. The Complete Field Guide to

Dragonflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood Vic.

Natrass, Ric, 2006. Dragonflies of South East Queensland — A Field Guide. Rick

Natrass

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4" Biannual Moth Meeting-Canberra 2009: Peter Hendry

I had the pleasure of being invited to

the 4"" biannual moth meeting, held at

the CSIRO’s Division of Entomology

in Canberra, over the weekend of the

1-2" August 2009. I would have

paid good money just to be a fly on

the wall, but to be able to participate

was a wonderful experience!

The meeting was an informal affair,

with a few short talks on the Saturday

afternoon. Some of the subjects

covered included Max Day’s work on

the Scribbly Gum Moth, showing the Delegates to ANIC moth meeting

possibility of there being some twenty

plus species involved. John Hawking spoke of his work to date revising the

Crambidae subfamily Acentropinae. These are the moths that have aquatic larvae.

Michael Braby took us on a tour of the Northern Territory museum in Darwin.

Donald Hobern and Nick dos Remedios from “Atlas of Living Australia” spoke of the

web portal they are setting up to hold metadata on all Australian animal species and

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 21

Don Sands talked about his concerns of controlled burning on the environment. This

was further dealt with in a presentation and discussion on the Sunday morning.

On a personal note I was delighted to be able put names on some of the moths in my

collection with assistance from Ted Edwards, John Hawking and Bart Hacobian and

being able to search through the Australian National Insect Collection. It was

wonderful just to pick up on the discussions being held amongst delegates and Len

Willan’s helpful tips on photography. The highlight for me was a one on one

demonstration on dissection of moth genitalia by Marianne Horak. This has eased my

fears a bit and I certainly intend to set myself up and give it a go.

Marilyn Hewish, in the absence of Peter Marriott, launched the second volume of

Moths of Victoria (see review 1n this issue). Marianne announced that the boys from

“Atlas of Living Australia” had taken over the web hosting of “Australian Moths on

Line’. It can now be found at: http://www1l.ala.org.au/gallery2/ The site now

includes all of the named Tortricidae, including their relative sizes.

Until 2011, happy mothing.

i ee ee

Cuckoo Wasps (Hymenoptera : Chrysididae) : Peter Hendry

In our last magazine (Issue No. 53

June 2009), Densey Clyne wrote of

her observations of the Mason

Wasp. In the article she mentions a

parasitoid wasp in the genus

Stilbum had been seen near the

Mason Wasp nest.

I had the opportunity to photograph

one of these wasps while it crawled

up and down the brickwork of my

house. It was obviously looking for

mud wasp nests, which are often

created against the mortar between

the bricks.

Cuckoo Wasp (Photo Peter Hendry)

These Cuckoo Wasps belong to the family Chrysididae that contains four subfamilies,

Amiseginae, Chrysidinae, Cleptinae and Loboscelidiinae. Of these Cleptinae only

occurs in the Northern Hemisphere. The Amiseginae and Loboscelidiinae parasitise

the eggs of Phasmids (Stick Insects). The Chrysidinae parasitise wasps in the families

Sphecidae and Vespidae.

The photo above is of a member of the subfamily Chrysidinae. They can be either

metallic green, blue, violet or red. They have the ability to roll into a ball if attacked

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 22 |

by the nest-building wasp. The larvae either eat the other wasp’s larvae or eat the

food provided by the other wasp for its larvae.

AT THE LIGHT TRAP

The Return of the Crambidae : Peter Hendry

I spent the Easter weekend of 2008 on my bush block west of Bundaberg and

reported in the June 2008 issue this magazine on “The Night of the Crambidae’”’. This

was when, in one night, I had 15 different species of Crambidae moths come to light.

This last Easter (2009), on my return to the same site with a bit more equipment, I

was able to run two light traps about one and a half kilometers apart. Unlike last year,

no one night proved better than the next, but I was able to pull in 24 different species

of Crambidae over three nights.

Of these 24 species I have been able

to put names to 22. Four of these

belong to the subfamily Acentropinae;

the remaining 19 belong to the

subfamily Pyraustinae. While at the

recent moth meeting in Canberra I met

with John Hawking who 1s revising

the Acentropinae. He was particularly

interested in my specimen of Elophila

aristodora (Turner, 1908) {wingspan

c 1lmm}. The only other material of

this species he has available for his

Parapoynx polydectalis Parapoynx villidalis

research is over 30 years old and he is having trouble extracting a complete DNA

sequence. Arrangements are being made for me to send him material from my

specimen. The Acentropinae are known for their aquatic larvae. John tells

the story that while on a field trip with Mike Halsey, they witnessed a female

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 23

Acentropinae moth dive into the water, swim under a rock and after some time re-

emerge. On turning over the rock they found a freshly laid clutch of eggs!

The other 3 Acentropinae all belong to the genus Parapoynx. These were P.

polydectalis (Walker, 1859) {wingspan c 14-20mm}, P. stagnalis (Zeller, 1852),

which also made an appearance at Easter 2008 and P. villidalis (Walker, 1859)

{wingspan c 17mm}. Apart from knowing these moths have aquatic larvae, I could

find nothing else on their biology. I am eagerly awaiting the completion of John’s

work.

Glyphodes canthusalis Archernis callixantha

Some of the more spectacular

Pyraustinae to appear included

Archernis callixantha Meyrick, 1886

{wingspan c 20-23mm}. I have also

encountered this species west of

Babinda 1n north Qld on the 23/10/2008

and at home at Sheldon, Redland City

east of Brisbane on the 20/04/2007. It

occurs from Cape York to northern

NSW and Indonesia (Common 1990). Nausinoe pueritia

Glyphodes canthusalis Walker, 1859

{wingspan c 25mm} was a first time encounter. It also has a distribution from Cape

York to northern NSW (Common 1990). It is listed on the web page

http://hk.geocities.com/pyralidaetw/pyra.30.htm as also occurring in China, India,

Nepal, Borneo and Indonesia. Nausinoe pueritia (Cramer, |1780]) {wingspan c 25-

30mm} with its long abdomen, made its second appearance on the block. The first

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 24

Tatobotys biannulalis Pycanarmon meritalis

was on the 8/11/2007 and I have also collected it seventy-odd kilometers NW of

Mackay. Its distribution covers the Northern Territory, Cape York to northern NSW

as well as India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia (Common 1990). With an equally

impressive abdomen, though far less ornate, 1s Tatobotys biannulalis (Walker,

[1866]) {wingspan c 17mm}. In Fiji the larvae have been found scavenging in debris

at the base of rice stools and it 1s suspected they feed in similar situations in various

grasses. Pupation takes place within a frass-covered cocoon at the stem base

(Hinckley 1964). Pycnarmon meritalis (Walker, 1859) {wingspan c 14mm} was

another first time visitor.

The remaining specimens of Pyraustinae to come to light this Easter (but not figured

herein) were Eurrhyparodes bracteolalis (Zeller, 1852), Eurrhyparodes tricoloralis

(Zeller, 1852), Herpetogramma licarsisalis (Walker, 1859), Maruca vitrata

(Fabricius, 1787), Metasia tiasalis (Walker, 1859), Metoeca foedalis (Guenée, 1854),

Nacoleia rhoeoalis (Walker, 1859), Notarcha aurolinealis (Walker, 1859), Omiodes

diemenalis (Guenée, 1854), Parotis sp. (Walker, 1859), Pyrausta testalis (Fabricius,

1794), Rehimena surusalis (Walker, 1859) and Spoladea recurvalis (Fabricius, 1775).

It was interesting to note that of these species, the most recently named 1s Elophila

aristodora (Turner, 1908) with the other namings dating back to Spoladea recurvalis

(Fabricius, 1775).

Photos Peter Hendry

References:

Common, I.F.B. 1990. Moths of Australia. Melbourne University Press

Hinckley, A. D. 1964, Ecological Notes on the Larvae of some Pyraloid Moths In

Fiji, Pacific Insects 6 (2) : 234-241

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 25

BOOK REVIEWS

Moths of Victoria Part 2: reviewed by Peter Hendry

e_* Ly Ff As Of Victor Ya |

The second in this series of booklets

attempting to illustrate all of the moths

that occur in Victoria has just been

released. It is by Peter Marriott and his

team at the Entomological Society of

Victoria and covers the superfamily

Noctuoidea.

Six of the seven Noctuoidea families

occurring in Victoria are covered. These

are Oenosandridae, Notodontidae,

Lymantriidae, Arctiidae, Herminiudae

and Nolidae. The booklet is well set out

with a colour tab on the top right corner,

being a different colour for each family.

A pinned specimen of each moth 1s

shown and a scale bar at the bottom of

the page gives the reader an idea of its

size. There are many photos of live

moths, pupae, larvae and eggs. With over

170 species illustrated and the fact that

many of these moths have a larger

distribution than Victoria, this booklet is a must for anyone interested in the moth

lepidoptera of Australia

fPETER MARRIOTT

As with Part 1, this booklet contains a CD, which in this case includes another 300

pages of images and information. The CD contains information on the biology and

distribution of each species, adding over 500 images. There are several other items on

the CD, being a glossary, a checklist of the included moths, a list of moth families

with a brief description, updates to part 1, a look into the future with a description of

what will be on parts 3 and 4 and a note on how to stay informed of the progress and

how to receive updates.

All in all it is a great effort. For those wishing to purchase a copy you can contact

Peter Marriott at vicmoth@entsocvic.org.au or write to lan Endersby, 56 Looker

Road, Montmorency, Vic. 3094

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 26

The Secret Life of Caterpillars by Densey

Clyne : reviewed by Lois Hughes

I can think of no more appropriate way to introduce

this delightful book, than by using Densey’s own

words.

“What exactly is a caterpillar’? Are caterpillars just

ereedy, guzzling grubs? Is there more to them than

being squashy sausages that birds love to eat, or that

humans love to spray with insecticide? The answer 1s

yes!”

I just love secrets, especially of the insect variety.

This book reveals many aspects of the secretive lives

of caterpillars as they journey to adulthood, the dangers they encounter and the

strategies they use to outsmart their predators.

Written for the young and young at heart, the book contains a wealth of knowledge

and displays the infinite patience and skill of the author and her obvious enjoyment

and fascination with her subjects. It captures the stunningly beautiful, the delightfully

humourous and the cunningly disguised — Creation at its ... well most gloriously

creative!

Every page of this large (28.5 x 22 cm) glossy, hard cover, 48 page book 1s

beautifully designed. The engaging narrative, complemented by the many superb

photos illustrating the text, introduces the young reader to technical terms. A two

page glossary expands on and more fully explains these terms. A list of scientific

names of the moths and butterflies pictured follows an activities page.

Densey Clyne’s work is already well known to many of us. Two of her previous

books “Cicada Sing-Song” and “How to Attract Butterflies to your Garden” are

publications we have enjoyed in the past, but this latest one 1s the best yet. Densey 1s

an internationally known author, photographer and wildlife documentary producer

and has received numerous awards. She 1s also a much valued member of BOIC and

her article on the Mason Wasp in the June ’09 issue of Metamorphosis Australia

illustrates her considerable writing skills, superb photos and patient and dogged

determination to uncover the secret lives of insects, all qualities which are apparent in

her latest book.

Densey’s own words are a fitting conclusion to this review. “Life after Life - What

does the butterfly sipping nectar in the sunshine remember of its days as a flightless,

leaf-munching caterpillar’? Does a moth negotiating its scented flight path through

the night recall its juvenile life earthbound among the leafy stems’?

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 27

We may never know the answers to those questions. What we do know of the

amazing double life of moths and butterflies is enough to surprise and delight those

with the eyes to see and the patience to watch.”

This is a book to enjoy and treasure.

Available from BOIC for $19.95 plus $8 P&H

ERRATUM

In reviewing material for an article on the “Mysterious Cycad Blue Butterfly” in

Metamorphosis Australia (No 53), I inadvertently overlooked an article by Dr. Don

Sands, titled “Host Changes 1n the Lycaenid butterfly Theclinesthes onycha onycha

(Hewitson): a possible preference shift?” published in Vol 35, issue 9, December

2007 News Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Queensland Inc. The original

observations therein are important and I apologise to Don for this omission.

There is an abstracted version of Don’s paper in the miscellaneous notes section, Vol

35 part 2, of the Australian Entomologist. John T. Moss

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

Leaf-infesting Nematodes : Bob Miller

My neighbour is an avid orchid grower who puts on incredible displays in SROPPINE

centers all over Cairns. Hypolycaena -

danis turneri (The Orchid Flash) love

his collection of tasty orchids!

Unfortunately one of his orchids

looked like it was facing certain death.

Its leaves were rotting and falling off,

leaving a slimy mess in the pot, so he

brought it over to me to see if I could

help.

I immediately took the pot into my

study and placed the orchid under the

Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club

microscope. After a bit of searching and

dismantling of the orchid, I noticed small

white worm-like critters, fairly abundant around the base of the dead leaves, so I took

a few photos of these for a positive identification.

Hypolycaena danis turneri

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 28

I informed the next door neighbour that it looked like he had an infestation of

nematodes and emailed the photos to him. He quickly sent these off to be identified.

The reply we received back from Tony Pattison, a nematologist from South

Johnstone, stated that they are indeed nematodes. They are a species of

Aphelenchoides, leaf-infesting nematodes, which are common in Australia on a wide

range of plants.

+ ' 3 .

P :

. < se .

: -

Nematode on orchid Close-up of nematode

Merging photos to improve “Depth of Field”

Upon taking multiple photos of butterfly eggs using the B.O.I.C. microscope camera

setup, we noticed that they all come out with a very bad depth of field, making them

unusable.

Example of trying to take a photo of a bunch of Varied Hairstreak (Jalmenus inous)

eggs:

Before After

Before: You notice that only a small proportion of the eggs are in focus.

After: With the help of a program called Helicon Focus we can merge a series of

badly focused pictures to create one crystal clear image of essentially anything you

wish.

DIPTPT PT PT PS PT PT PA PT PFT PI Pa Pe bd eT hd Pg

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 29

YOU ASKED

Hi Daphne,

I was wondering 1f you might know of

someone in the club who could help

identify the wonderful creature that one of

my friends had visit their house.

The beetle was found in the Tully area and

we would really love to know a bit more

about it. Please let me know if you need

more information.

Regards, Wendy Finlayson

Photo Alex Tessier

Hi Derrick, Wendy & Daphne,

The photo is of a Cerambycidae (longicorn beetle), Batocera frenchi and 1s a fig borer

as a larva. Normally you would need to be near a North Queensland rainforest to

obtain this beetle. The adults (often 50 mm or so) will come to the milky exudate

from the wound of a fig. Museum specimens often have the red spots on their elytra

faded a little. The SEQ equivalent is Batocera boisduvali. These beetles can “bite”

hard, as their tarsi (feet) are very capable of holding onto the target finger.

Best wishes, Murdoch De Baar

Se ae Se Se Ee

Question - The Mad Fan, correct name Grey Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginos), is often

seen in our garden. I was never able to see what it was eating until this morning I

could see small clouds of flying insects. I was able to capture two specimens with a

small net. The pictures I have sent are of this insect, one taken through the eye piece

of a microscope and the other straight macro. The insect 1s 4mm from the end of the

abdomen to the tip of those feathery feelers. Unfortunately I was unable to take any

pictures of the dorsum of the insect. It has

to me, a remarkable appearance. Like a

dragonfly, it has a long segmented

abdomen with terminal claspers. The |

single pair of wings is dragonfly-like, but a

the second pair are reduced to small clubs.

The feelers are moth-like. The eyes are

large. The flight of this insect is very rapid

and erratic and scaled up would equal the

speed of any aircraft! — Hilton Selvey

Answer - They are male chironomid midges (Chironomidae). Many species of

chironomid midges show "Iekking" behaviour where males form large groups and

wait for females to come and select them for mating. The behaviour also turns up 1n

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 30

other unrelated insects, such as many other flies, moths, ants, some heteropteran bugs,

many aquatic insects (mayflies especially). — Dave Britton

Further from Hilton - Thank you for finding out the name of the tiny insect that so

intrigues me. During the "Iekking" behaviour, the insect flies in straight lines for

about 10cm and then abruptly changes direction. To me it 1s astonishing that the Mad

Fan can get enough energy from these tiny insects to replace the energy used in

catching them plus their normal metabolic requirements.

BUTTERFLY AND OTHER INVERTEBRATES CLUB PROGRAMME

Walk in the Wallum with Swordgrass Browns

What: Walk in coastal heathland, through Swordgrass Brown Butterfly habitat, with possible

light trapping in the evening

When: Saturday, 10th October 2009, from 10 am

Where: Beerwah and Landsborough. Meet at the corner of Steve Erwin Way (old Glasshouse

Mountains Road) and Roys Road, Beerwah.

Bring: Water, hat, sunscreen, walking shoes, lunch and dinner if staying late

Contact: John Moss 3245 2997 Mobile (on the day) 0427 596753. It is essential to register if

planning to attend

Planning and Management Meeting

What: Our planning meetings are informative and interesting. As well as planning our

activities we share lots of information. All members are welcome as this activity is also a

general meeting of members.

When: Saturday, 14th November, 2009 from 1.30 pm

Where: Alisha’s Steward’s home (directions supplied on R.S.V.P.)

R.S.V.P.: Alisha on 3275 1186 or Daphne on 3396 6334

Mt Glorious Biological Centre/Mt Glorious Rainforest Walk

What: A visit to the Mt Glorious Biological Centre, followed by lunch and a rainforest walk.

Butterflies and stick insects are reared at the Biological Centre, and mounted insect specimens

from throughout the world are on display. The visit will be followed by lunch at the Maiala

picnic area, just past the Mt Glorious township. We can then take a walk through the

subtropical rainforest - the Maiala Circuit is a 2km walk which takes approx. | hour to

complete. There are additional walking tracks if people are interested in doing more.

PLEASE RSVP - we will contact the Biological Centre closer to the date to confirm numbers.

If the Biological Centre visit is cancelled, lunch and the walk will still take place.

When: 10:30am, Saturday 28th November 2009. Earlybirds are welcome to meet up for a

coffee beforehand in a nearby cafe. RSVP for details.

Where: We'll meet at 10:30am in the carpark of the Maiala picnic area, part of D'Aguilar

National Park, and head off to the Biological Centre. The picnic area is located on Mt Glorious

Road (the main road), just out of Mt Glorious township. It will be signposted. It takes approx.

70 mins to drive there from Brisbane City. We'll return to the picnic area for lunch and a walk.

Bring: Lunch, snacks, water, hat, walking shoes. PLEASE RSVP: By Monday 23rd

November 2009 to Alisha Steward a.steward@griffith.edu.au_ 3275 1186 (home),

0402 091 863 (On the morning of the excursion I will have the mobile phone turned on).

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club 454 7 Page 31

DISCLAIMER

The magazine seeks to be as scientifically accurate as possible but the views, opinions and

observations expressed are those of the authors. The magazine 1s a platform for people to

express their views and observations. These are not necessarily those of the BOIC. If

inaccuracies have inadvertently occurred and are brought to our attention we will seek to

correct them in future editions. The Editor reserves the right to refuse to print any matter

which is unsuitable, inappropriate or objectionable and to make nomenclature changes as

appropriate.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Producing this magazine 1s done with the efforts of:

e Those members who have sent in letters and articles

e Lois Hughes who provides illustrations including the cover

e Daphne Bowden who works on layout, production and distribution

e John Moss, Murdoch De Baar, Dr Chris Reid and Dr David Britton for scientific

referencing and proof reading of various articles in this issue of the magazine

e Printing of this publication is proudly supported by |

Brisbane City Council

—_

We would like to thank all these people for their TEL ha T

contribution. BRISBANE CITY

Dedicated to a better Brishane

ARE YOU A MEMBER

Please check your mailing label for the date your membership is due for renewal. If your

membership is due, please renew as soon as possible. Membership fees are $25.00 for

individuals, schools and organizations. If you wish to pay electronically, the following

information will assist you: BSB: 484-799, Account No: 001227191, Account name: BOIC,

Bank: Suncorp, Reference: your membership no. and surname e.g. 234 Roberts.

Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club Inc.

PO Box 2113

RUNCORN Q. 4113

Next event — Walk in the Wallum with Swordgrass Browns, Saturday, 10th

October, 2009 (See Programme for details)

Magazine of the Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club #54 — Page 32