Eucalyptus Tip-wilter Bug (male)

Description:

Eucalyptus Tip-wilter Bug, aka Gumtree Tip Bug, belongs to the family Coreidae. Typically dark brown in colour with light brown to orange on the legs and antennae, and alternated brown and yellow along the edges of the abdomen. Males have stouter hind femora and spiny hind legs. That was one of the most noticeable features of this specimen, so it's most likely a male. Body length about 20mm, plus antennae. They are are relatively slow moving, but both adults and nymphs will release strong repellent odours when disturbed. That doesn't surprise me because my first impression was this bug looked like a really long-bodied stink bug. As a family, Coreidae members are cosmopolitan, but most species are tropical or subtropical.

Habitat:

Spotted amongst some leaf litter, clinging beneath some tree bark. Tree species pending ID. Township of Toogoolawah in SEQ. Regarding the tree - it's leaves did not have a eucalyptus smell.

Notes:

Coreidae is a large family with over 1800 described species in some 250 genera. They generally resemble shield bugs and include leaf footed bugs and squash bugs. The hind legs are often modified. All members of the family are exclusively leaf eaters. Coreidae are called twig-wilters or tip-wilters in parts of Africa and Australia because many species feed on young twigs, injecting juices that macerate the tissues of the growing tips and cause them to wilt abruptly.