'I'm always looking for the Hows and the Whys and the Whats,' said Muskrat, 'That is why I speak as I do. You've heard of Muskrat's Much-in-Little, of course?'
'No,' said the child. 'What is it?'
- The Mouse and his Child. Russell Hoban.

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Friday 11 February 2011

Lemon Tree Borer?


A few warm evenings ago this beetle was spotted strolling on the window, attracted to the light inside. As it was difficult to identify from the underside...

I went outside, stood rather unsteadily on the wobbly rocks surrounding the garden under the window, and took a few more shots from out there:


So, what are you, a Lemon Tree Borer? Or a Velvet Eucalypt Longhorn? I looked it up in my trusty Andrew Crowe.


Still not sure of the species, I went outside again and moved in on the wee beastie, trying to get a really clear close-up. So immersed in this activity was I, that

... I didn't notice who was acting the clown on the other side of the ...


...glass!


9 comments:

  1. What brilliant macros of the Lemon Tree Borer. I think it's so funny that you didn't see J. You are just so focused when you do something. Wish I was.

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  2. Thank you GB. But I think you are too humble.

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  3. How funny! You really were concentrating on that bug!

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  4. The penultimate shot is just the best.

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  5. So have you got a lemon tree in your garden, a eucalyptus tree or both? If one of the trees has been bored you will then know which beetle you were studying. Mind you if I was a male velvet eucalpyt longhorn I would happily take out a female lemon tree borer for lunch or perhaps more. Surely some beetles are of mixed race?

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  6. Pat, I was concentrating!

    YP. We have both in our area or garden. If you were a VEL beetle, you wouldn't be in the slighted bit interested in taking out a female LTB for lunch or anywhere, not even if you were anthropomorphisising the hardest you could!

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  7. Hi Katherine,
    Knowing the flat glass industry well, I could not help noticing that you still have single glass and that with a lot of scratches.

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  8. Ben. Ah. Well, the single glass is common in New Zealand, but the scratches pre-date my occupancy here. They date from a chemist who used to live here, who thought the best way to clean windows was to use a very strong chemical, which etched the glass. He then tried to erase the spotty etching by rubbing the glass with an abrasive... sigh.

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