Temognatha heros (Temognatha heros)

Temognatha heros (male) Temognatha heros can reach a length of about 60–80 mm. It is the biggest within the genus Temognatha.
The basic body colour is yellowish-orange, while pronotum is dark reddish. Elytra are punctato-striate. The adults emerge en mass in summer when mellee trees are i flower. Flolower feeders are called florivores and feed especially on Eucalyptus leptophylla, E. foecunda, Melaleuca pauperiflora and M. uncinata. Australia,Geotagged,Summer,Temognatha heros,big desert,buprestidae,temognatha

Appearance

''Temognatha heros'' can reach a length of about 60–80 millimetres . It is the biggest within the genus ''Temognatha''. The basic body colour is yellowish-orange, while pronotum is dark reddish. Elytra are punctato-striate. Legs show a metallic blue color.

The adults are florivore and feed on the flowers of various trees and shrubs (especially ''Eucalyptus leptophylla'', ''Eucalyptus foecunda'', ''Melaleuca pauperiflora'' and ''Melaleuca uncinata''.

Larvae are wood-borers of ''Casuarina'' species, ''Eucalyptus gracilis'', ''Eucalyptus oleosa'', ''Eucalyptus foecunda'' and ''Melaleuca uncinata''.

Temognatha heros female This is one of the largest jewels in Australia. Temognatha are a summer species and may live underground for many years before they emerge. The possums and crows have a feast and there can be thousands of dead beetle carcasses on the roadside. These beetles can be attracted to brown glass beer bottles and 'red tee shirt wearing' photographers. Australia,Buprestidae,Geotagged,Summer,Temognatha,Temognatha heros

Distribution

This species is present in South and Western Australia . These beetles can be found in drainage basins and coastal and oceanic zones.

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Taxonomy
Kingdom	Animalia
Division	Arthropoda
Class	Insecta
Order	Coleoptera
Family	Buprestidae
Genus	Temognatha
Species	T. heros

Photographed in
Australia