Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

This Holiday season, as sure as the shopping malls become packed with crazed shoppers; and as sure as young children wake way too early Christmas morning; so too will the Christmas beetle appear, on cue, in large numbers across most of Australia.

Christmas Beetles

Christmas beetles (Anoplognathus) are a classification of beetle found in Australia that consists of some 35 different beetle species from the family Scarabaeidae. These beetles are called Christmas beetles, because of their frequent emergence close to Christmas each and every year.

Why Christmas Beetles Appear At Christmas

The reason these beetles are so common around the Christmas holiday, is because of their seasonal life cycle. The beetles appear from December to January, mate, and then lay their eggs in the soil. The larvae take almost a full calendar year to develop before they emerge once again late in the year. This wave of Christmas beetle emergence can vary, depending on the climate and on the species of beetle.

What Christmas Beetles Look Like

Since there are 35 different species of Christmas beetle, their appearance can vary greatly. Christmas beetles are known for their iridescence color, which can appear to change depending on the angle of view. Aside from being an iridescent green, they can also be dark yellow, rose, brown, and dark green. A Christmas beetle measures about an inch long on average, or approximately 20-30 millimeters.

Christmas Beetle Habits

Christmas beetles are insatiable eaters, attacking a broad range of eucalyptus and tree species. They will make zigzag patterns on the leaves as they eat, tearing up tree leaves with most of the leaf falling to the earth being wasted.

Christmas beetles can swarm, depending on the weather conditions. They are quite clumsy fliers, and are very loud while in flight and when landing. They are particularly attracted to outdoor lighting while in flight.

If you live in Australia, you are probably quite familiar with these beautiful, but sometimes annoying, beetle pests.

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Anthony Ball

Tiny Dive-Bombing Parasitic Wasps

How cool is this?

A teeny, tiny wasp hunts it’s unsuspecting prey by hovering half an inch above the ground; and attacks by diving-bombing into it’s target.

This newly discovered species of parasitic wasp, Kollasmosoma sentum, is a natural born assassin in the insect world. The tiny wasp will cruise along looking for an ant to assault and deposit an egg into.

When a poor unsuspecting ant is located by the miniature wasp, it will quickly dive and inject an egg into the ant. The ant’s only defense when it realizes it’s being attacked, is to roll over and try to fight back with it’s mandibles and legs. The entire egg laying process only takes a mere 0.052 seconds, and is deadly to the ant. Once attacked by the parasitic wasp, an ant will house the wasp’s larvae and provide the unborn with food until they hatch.

The wasp’s impressive attacks have been filmed and can bee seen below.

Watch Them Attack!

Parasitic Wasp Makes The List of Top 10 New Species 2012

Every year, the International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE) puts together a list of the top 10 newly discovered species. This year, the parasitic dive-bombing wasp (Kollasmosoma sentum) makes the top 10 list according to Arizona State University.

The top 10 species are chosen from a committee of experts, entomologists, and scientific journal editors that evaluate hundreds of entries every year.

Oh, and if you are having problems with wasps of any kind, contact Bulwark Exterminating!

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Anthony Ball

Photo by Bulwark Exterminating

The Arizona bark scorpion is the only species of scorpion in Arizona, that can cause very serious harm to small children (and anyone who is ill or has a compromised immune system), and can truly be considered life threatening. However, thanks to a powerful anti venom scorpion stings are now rarely life threatening.

Aside from their powerful, painful and venomous sting, here are five (5) remarkable facts about the Arizona bark scorpion, you might not have known:

1. The Arizona bark scorpion has 8 jointed legs, that are lightly covered in hair, which helps the scorpion detect subtle vibrations; in the air.
2. Although all other species of scorpions are known to live a solitary lifestyle, with the exception of mating and carrying their young, the Arizona bark scorpion prefers to live in packs and will congregating in large groups; when hibernating for the winter months.
3. Unlike any other species of scorpion, the Arizona bark scorpion can climb walls, and even hang from ceilings and doors.
4. Arizona bark scorpions are preyed upon by birds, especially owls, and bats. As well, these scorpions may fall victim to large centipedes, tarantulas, lizards, shrews, and grasshopper mice.
5. At birth, approximately 25 to 35 baby scorpions, will ride around on their mother’s back; for up to 21 days.

Furthermore, warnings from Phoenix pest control staff and local exterminators, caution residents that the Arizona Bark Scorpion is often discovered in urban areas; rather than the surrounding desert regions. This is likely because they prefer the cooler and moist spots, under pieces of tree bark, beneath rocks and inside buildings and homes. As well, property and home owners should be aware that these scorpions are a very light in color, so they will blend-in well with the various desert elements; found in Phoenix and other cities in Arizona.

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• FDA Approved Anascorp The Scorpion Anti Venom [Video] (youtube.com)