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Project Noah Nature School
Monophlebulus sp
Orange and blue patterned solitary bug walking slowly down the bark of a medium sized eucalyptus. Approximately 20mm long. Some white fine hairs showing around the margins and one antenna-like thicker white string protruding from the centre-top near the rear end.
Suburban garden on eucalyptus trunk.
This one more advanced than my previous spotting of this species. They start off fully white and furry (as suggested by their common name) and gradually lose the fur as they grow. They are sap suckers and produce honey-dew. That single thick hair at back-centre might be the radio-control antenna.
Spotted on Jun 11, 2012
Submitted on Jun 13, 2012
6 Comments
Thanks all for the comments. They certainly are weird things - always solitary and found in the most unlikely places.
Wow Argy,alien creature,i love to se these kind of bizarre creatures they are from another time and still resist,fantastic,congrats
Nice!
One of the coolest looking mealy bugs I have ever seen. Wonderful series and great information, Argy
Sensational critter
Very cool !