‘Tis the Season – Christmas Beetle by Katie Asplin

‘Tis the Season – Christmas Beetle (Anoplognathus)

These ornamental beetles are synonymous with summer days and Christmas in Australia. The 35 species of Christmas beetle endemic to Australia range in colour from metallic golds and browns to vibrant greens and pinks, and most have a characteristic sheen, which gives them a jewel-like appearance. Sadly, the population of Christmas beetles in the Sydney region is in decline, as the grassy eucalypt woodlands that feed both adults and curl-grub larvae is swallowed up by urban sprawl.