Calomela fulvilabris

Appearance

Metallic green in color with pitted elytra and overall cylindrical shape.

Naming

Calomela fulvilabris (Germar, 1848)

Distribution

Restricted to the Western desert area of Victoria.

Status

Range is very limited. The population density where they do occur is very sparse. It requires a habitat of particular acacia and is therefore restricted to remnant habitat in nature reserves scattered throughout farmland. The region is dry and contains areas of unique desert habitat. There are several large reserves and they are of great biological significance.

Recent increases in the frequency and severity of bushfires in the Australian summer has resulted in the legislation mandatory fuel reduction burns. As this is difficult to manage in bushland around cities such as Melbourne and Sydney, some of these sensitive remnant nature reserves are burned annually simply to reach quotas of acreages burned. This is completely useless for its intended purpose of fuel reduction as deserts contain little fuel and no human settlements to protect. But it is highly destructive for insects, wildflowers and probably every single affected desert species.