Merimna atrata

2 Merimna atrata at Pialligo, ACT

Request use of media

Identification history

Merimna atrata	24 Jun 2021	MichaelMulvaney
Merimna atrata	23 Nov 2020	KimPullen
Unverified	22 Nov 2020	FeralGhostbat

Identify this sighting

Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

Significant sighting

MichaelMulvaney noted:

24 Jun 2021

First ACT record of this fire favoured species.

User's notes

Found on east facing wall at work at Canberra Airport

2 comments

KimPullen wrote:

23 Nov 2020

'Fire beetle'. First ACT record of the species, as far as I know.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

24 Jun 2021

The following is an extract from the WA Museum web site. "The Australian 'fire-beetle' Merimna atrata can be found in large numbers directly after a fire in eucalyptus forests in the smoky burnt area. The main reasons for this so-called pyrophilous behaviour are reproduction and foraging. Beetles of both sexes are most probably attracted by the smell of burning eucalyptus trees and invade a freshly burnt area as early as possible. Nearly the entire cycle of reproduction, including mate finding, copulation and oviposition takes place, and the beetles are most likely protected from predators by heat and smoke. This is possible because M. atrata has developed special infrared receptors on the abdomen which serve for the detection of hot spots. As the burnt area gets cooler and the smell of burning declines, beetles disappear within about 3 days. "

Please Login or Register to comment.

Location information

Coordinates 149.182581 -35.300888
Places Pialligo, ACT

Sighting information

1 Abundance
19 Nov 2020 07:39 PM Recorded on
FeralGhostbat Recorded by
Collections
Significant Insects Jewel beetles (Buprestidae) Beetles (Coleoptera) FeralGhostbat Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr

Additional information

5mm to 12mm Animal size

Species information

Merimna atrata Scientific name
Merimna atrata Common name
Not Sensitive
Local native
Non-invasive or negligible
Machine learning
External link More information

Record quality

Images or audio
More than one media file
Verified by an expert moderator
Nearby sighting(s) of same species
GPS evidence of location
Description
Additional attributes

Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Queensland

Northern Territory

Western Australia

South Australia

Victoria

Tasmania