Feather-horned Beetle

A black wedge-shaped beetle about 15 mm long with white specks on elytra and dramatically flabellate antennae with which to locate females. Legs were a deep brown with black colouring at the femoral and tibial joint. A slightly humped scutellum and head were also black.
There are only six species of Rhipiceridae in Australia and all belong to the genus Rhipicera. Rhipiphorid beetle larvae could be endo- and ectoparasites on larvae of hymenopterans, beetles and cockroaches. Although larvae of R.femorata has never been spotted it is thought that they may be parasites on larvae of Cicada.
Spotted on a young eucalyptus tree in a small reserve.