Dioclides prionoides

Description:

A large longicorn beetle (45mm body) with dark chocolate coloured elytra, thorax, head, black legs; yellow under front of wing covers, and snappy looking yellow and brown footwear. Feet have an interesting looking segmented flexibility. All up a very nicely engineered beetle.

Habitat:

Found in a used car lot late at night under very strong lights (mercury vapour I think. This was the only light of a certain colour and, although many others seemed as bright, none had insects hanging around !?)

Notes:

Called longhorn beetles elsewhere in the world. Alson known as 'Cnemoplites prionoides' .... "Such robust beetles also have large larvae, which spend their time boring into local Banksia, Eucalyptus and Grasstrees to feed on dead, dying or rotting wood. Large moth larvae are known as Witchetty Grubs and are eagerly sought as bush-food by aborigines and others ...... Despite their powerful jaws and their capacity to dispatch most invertebrates, none of the many Longicorn species are predatory, but feed exclusively on plant material with many being host specific." - http://esperancewildlife.blogspot.com.au...