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Family: Buprestidae (jewel beetles)
Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda
> Insecta
(insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola >
Holometabola > Coleoptera
(beetles)
> Polyphaga
Torpedo-shaped, hard-bodied beetles that vary considerably in size
(2-50mm) and colour. They are usually brightly coloured with metallic colours in
some cases. Others are cryptically coloured, brown or black. Others are
strikingly covered in tufts of coloured, wax-coated hairs. Buprestids are
heat-loving (thermophilous) and can tolerate very high temperatures so are active in hot, sunny conditions
when they are very alert, making them difficult to catch. The adults feed on pollen,
foliage and nectar. The females lay their eggs in bark crevices and the larvae
tunnel into wood and plant stems. While the adults are relatively short-lived,
the immatures can take as long as 35 years to complete their development.
Some subfamilies, genera and species from southern Africa
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Subfamily Acmaeoderinae
Acmaeodera viridaenea
(Glittering jewel beetle), 13mm.
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
Subfamily Agrilinae
Phlocteis exasperata (Metal jewel
beetle), 12mm.
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission].
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Subfamily Agrilinae Meliboeus punctatus (Painted
jewel beetle), 12-15mm.
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
Subfamily Chalcophorinae
Evides pubiventris (Emerald Jewel beetle), mating, 25mm.
[image by A. Weaving ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
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Subfamily Chalcophorinae
Agelia peteli (Meloid-mimicking
jewel
beetle), 26mm.
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
Subfamily Julodinae
Sternocera orissa (Giant jewel
beetle), 37mm.
[image by A. Weaving ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission].
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Subfamily Julodinae
Neojulodis tomentosa (Plum and
green brush jewel beetle), 16mm.
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
Subfamily Julodinae
Julodis cirossa (Brush jewel beetle), 27mm.
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
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Subfamily Sphenopterinae
Sphenoptera sp. (Protea
borer jewel beetle).
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
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Publications
Page by Margie Cochrane |
