Trogodendron fasciculatum

Yellow-horned Clerid at Bermagui, NSW

Trogodendron fasciculatum at Bermagui, NSW - 11 Jan 2018
Request use of media

Identification history

Unidentified 16 Jan 2018 AndrewMorrison

Identify this sighting


Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

User's notes

Some sort of wasp mimic beetle (Longicorn?). Quite a few on a WA flowering gum with lots of borer damage - caused by larvae of these beetles?? Moved in very wasp like fashion - jerky with madly waving antennae

2 comments

KerriLee wrote:
   17 Jan 2018
Hi Andrew ... this looks to be a a Checkered Beetle (Family: Cleridae), and in particular 'the Yellowhorned Clerid" (Trogodendron fasciculatum - or fasciculatus, in some references). This species actually preys upon longicorn beetle larvae, so perhaps that it was why they are prowling about a tree with borer damage. Here are a couple of links to info and images:
http://www.ces.csiro.au/aicn/system/c_723.htm
https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:a727bae2-377a-4918-8598-0c3b031b1b39#overview
KerriLee wrote:
   17 Jan 2018
Oh, and yes, many beetles in this family do mimic other insects, including ants and wasps. It is an Australian endemic.

Please Login or Register to comment.

Location information

Sighting information

Species information

1,898,437 sightings of 21,107 species in 9,314 locations from 12,954 contributors
CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.