Jewel beetles (Buprestidae)

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References for Jewel Beetles (family Buprestidae): https://sites.google.com/site/buprestidpages/

And a photo gallery for the family: https://sites.google.com/site/buprestidpages/buprestidae-gallery

This gallery can be searched by genus, for example, Castiarina:

https://sites.google.com/site/buprestidpages/castiarina-gallery

Another good gallery for Castiarina: http://www.virtual-beetle.com/castiarinafp.html

Jewel beetles (Buprestidae)

Moderators

MichaelMulvaney

AlisonMilton

Amata

DiBickers

Harrisi

MarkH

entom2

KylieWaldon

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Discussion

MarkH wrote:

19 Oct 2025

It’s a little hard to identify without seeing all of the pattern however it’s either Castiarina livida or Castiarina flavopicta.
I think livida is most likely from the date (flavopicta is usually later), colour (usually a greenish tinge to the background colour in flavopicta rather than blue), the flowers the beetle is on are normally associated with livida, and the part of the pattern that is visible is more likely to be livida.

Castiarina livida

entom2 wrote:

7 Oct 2025

Thanks Stuart! I presume it was attracted to the yellow flowers thinking it was pea flowers of some sort - else it feeds on them anyway. As Mark said, you can see chew marks on the petals which may have been this or other specimens. The colour of the beetle resembling the colour at the base of the flower may be coincidental, as adults of this species of Melobasis come in various colours ranging from metallic green through coppery to metallic grey.

Melobasis propinqua

MarkH wrote:

7 Oct 2025

It’s not surprising it’s on this flower. You find Melobasis propinqua on various yellow and orange flowers that they are attracted to. It seems to be eating the petals which is what they do to various pea flowers.

Melobasis propinqua

Harrisi wrote:

7 Oct 2025

Diuris pardina Allen. I have seen this sp. On donkey orchids before but can't recall orchid sp. See how the beetle here resembles the base of the flower!?

Melobasis propinqua

entom2 wrote:

7 Oct 2025

Hi Stuart, this might be the first record of a buprestid on an orchid (I think the orchid genus is Diuris), or at least the first record of this species on an orchid! Any idea what species of orchid it is? Cheers, Allen.

Melobasis propinqua