JEWEL BEETLE and JOSEPH'S COAT MOTH

I found two very pretty creatures when searching for "J" insects so decided to include them both.

Class: Insecta;  Order: Coleoptera;  Family: Buprestidae;  Genus: Temognatha;  Species: alternata

The JEWEL BEETLE is a striking beetle with bright yellow and red bands on the greenish blue wing covers.  The head and thorax are dark blue/green.  The wing covers are lined with rows of fine pits along the length giving it a furrowed appearance.  Its normal size is 2.6cm long.

There are are eighty species of Temognatha found in Australia and New Guinea.  This species is found in northern Queensland and this particular one was in Cooktown.




Class: Insecta;  Order:  Lepidoptera;  Family: Noctuidae;  Genus: Agarista;  Species agricola

The JOSEPH'S COAT MOTH is beautifully marked.  The forewings are black with yellow and pale blue markings and the hindwings are black with pale blue and bright red bands.  Females have a broad patch of white on the front part of the body and base of forewings.

The wingspan of the male is 5 cm and the female 7 cm.  They feed on cultivated grape crops as well as on native grapes.

The caterpillars are banded black and white with two orange bands.  The orange bands are after the third black band from each end.  The caterpillars are lightly covered with long hairs with club-shaped tips.

This moth is found in the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.