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Project Noah Nature School
Paropsis atomaria
This eucalyptus leaf-beetle was spotted hugging a eucalyptus stem, laying a row of peach-coloured eggs. Her abdomen was extended and strained and nothing seemed to distract her from her egg-laying !. The final egg clump (about 5mm long) would look like the one in pic #4- spotted on another branch. Each egg was about 1.5mm stuck upright to the stem with a dark star-shaped top. The clump looked like a little bottle-brush.
Eucalyptus trees. This was spotted on a relatively young eucalytpus tree ( ? species) in a reserve
These paropsine beetles are active from September to April and can complete four generations in one season. About a third of the eggs are parasitised and about 94 % of larvae are predated upon. More eggs are parasitised in tropical Australia when compared to the temperate parts, where larvae are more susceptible.
Spotted on Oct 13, 2012
Submitted on Oct 13, 2012
9 Comments
Awesome!
Really great series :)
Awesome series. :)
Beautiful series!
Those legs are the same as those camel machines in starwars !!
Thanks Atul and Martin. I am surprised I got this much detail with my little pocket camera !
Very nice close up, leuba.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/815...
Beautifully documented pics Leuba :)
Wow - I can almost see the effort in her posture.Those egg clusters on the stems look like strange flowers. Now we know who makes them.