The buzz of beetles - Christmas is coming
Out in the garden this morning to smell the heady citrus blossoms of the Orange Jessamine trees and “WHACK!” hit in the head by a flying green missile. “BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZ WHACK!” Hit again. BIG irridescent flying green beetles - these must be the Christmas beetles that I’ve heard about. Never really had them in Perth (In Sydney they were golden, smaller and not so kamikaze!).
The orange scent has filled the garden, so thick you could almost carve it. I can’t get enough of it and neither can the bazillion or so beetles covering it this morning.
They were oblivious to anything but drinking that nectar - they almost seemed tipsy from it, the way they kept crashing into things.
They are very beautiful though, and are sparkly all over, even their legs and bellies. And then I spied a purply beetle, or was it green or bronze? It changed colours in the sunlight, like those chameleon cars you see around. It’s colour depends on if it’s coming towards you (metallic bronze) , or going away from you (metallic purple).
Even the native bees (spy one deep in the flower above) are pulling up stools at the bar - it’s happy hour!
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Wow ! these are amazingly beautiful!
lol….I`m just picturing you now trying to dodge the beetles…Big aren`t they…..Pretty colour but BIG…….
They are so big, bright and beautiful. The shots so crystal clear and close up. Oh for a camera like yours. Bill has offered to buy me one but I thought I might wait until they get a bit smaller so they are more convenient to take on holidays. But I’m getting impatient.
I can smell the blossom, I love it when I walk past gardens with it. I don’t have any and I don’t know why.
I so enjoy popping in to see what you’re up to. Those beetles are magnificent! Me and bf will be travelling next year for a few mths and possibly relocating after that depending on what we discover. He wants to move somewhere with a longer growing season so we can live more sustainably. I’ve been a bit hesitant to go because I really like it in the Blue Mountains. On one particularly resistant day I visited your blog. When I saw your excitement and wonder at your new home I opened up to the idea. I could make some amazing discoveries and have a lot of fun if I let myself. So now I’m hoping to find some new wildlife and plantlife and fun people and adventures to marvel over along the way. Thanks for being such an inspiration!
Those beetles are bulldozers! A carpet of fallen blossoms covers the ground as they rampage through.
Mandy, yes they are big, not as big as the Rhino beetles though. They are starting to bash themselves against the windows at night.
Diane, I have heaps of little seedlings springing up all over - wish I could send you a bucketful. My camera isn’t very special. If you have a macro mode on your “point & shoot”, use that for flower shots.
Miss Lyss! How lovely that you stopped by. I can understand how you would be hesitant to leave the Blue Mountains. I really love Leura - I know a gorgeous author who lives there - she has wonderful gardens. Good friends of ours have a home in Katoomba- even in summer you need a jumper.
Hey, I thought you were a Melbourne Girl?
Adventures happen “when” you’re ready for them, more so than “where”, I’ve found. You’re such a sweetie with your comments. Good luck!
They are so beautiful…..thanks for sharing