Ms Johnson discovers the meaning of CHRISTMAS BEETLES

Kelly’s Field Notes

Common Name: Christmas Beetle

Order: Coleoptera

Family: Scarabaeidae

Genera: Anoplognathus and Calloodes

Species of Note (There are around 36 species of Christmas beetle!):

• The most common Christmas beetle is Anoplognathus pallidicollis.

• Anoplognathus viriditarsus is the largest Christmas beetle in Sydney, Australia.

Description: 

Christmas beetles are native to Australia and South Africa, with higher concentrations along the coast of eastern Australia. They come in a variety of metallic colors - grays, greens, and browns. Christmas beetles get their name because they love to swarm around Christmas lights during the holiday season. Christmas beetles are fairly large as adults, from 2 to 3 cm (0.8 - 1.2 in) in length. Like many big beetles, they are clumsy fliers.

Life Cycle: 

Christmas beetle eggs are oviposited (laid) directly into soil near eucalyptus trees. The larvae will remain in the soil for about a year, eating decaying organic matter and plant roots. Then they will move towards the surface of the soil and pupate, emerging after a few weeks, often during December, hence the common name. As adults they not only enjoy eucalyptus, they can become a nuisance defoliating entire trees. The adults live for about a month. 

Super Powers:

• Night sight - Christmas beetles have excellent sight in the dark.

• Flight - while clumsy and awkward, they can still fly.

• Armor - like other scarab beetles, Christmas beetles have tough exoskeletons.

• Climbing - Christmas beetles are excellent tree climbers.

Christmas Beetles in Culture:

• The Australian Museum offers an app, in the Google Play store and the iOS store, that will help you identify Christmas beetles near you! https://australian.museum/visit/mobile-apps/
  
  “Collect the beetles you find and identify by adding them to a digital collection, and learn more about beetle anatomy and taxonomy with our illustrated glossaries.”

• Christmas beetle observations are in a decline, but you can help! If you live in Australia or are visiting, you can upload beetle sightings to iNaturalist where they will be included in a project co-run by the University of Sydney and Invertebrates Australia. This data can be used to help save the Christmas beetles. https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/our-research/research-areas/life-and-environmental-sciences/christmas-beetle-population-project.html

• Looking for Christmas beetles? Try Sydney’s Centennial Park and local eucalyptus woodlands. 

• How can you help? Plant native grasses for their larval habitat, reduce pesticide use, give time and money to local conservation programs. The Cumberland Plain woodland is an important habitat for Christmas beetles, but while once widespread in Western Sydney less than 10% remains.

• In the Americas you can sort of think of June beetles as something similar, associated with a certain point in the season. 

• Christmas beetles are edible though we do not recommend eating them as their numbers are in decline.

• Despite the religious connotation to their name, beetles are never mentioned in the Bible.

References: 

“Christmas Beetle.” Australia Museum, australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/christmas-beetle/.

“Christmas Beetle Count Project.” University of Sydney, www.sydney.edu.au/science/our-research/research-areas/life-and-environmental-sciences/christmas-beetle-population-project.html.

Reid, Chris. “Where Have All the Christmas Beetles Gone?” Australia Museum, australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/christmas-beetles/.

‌Common Name: Greater Purple Hairstreak and Johnson’s Hairstreak

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Lycaenidae (Gossamer-winged butterflies)

Genus:  Atlides, Callophrys

Species: Atlides halesus, Callophrys johnsoni

Description:  

Johnson’s hairstreak is overall brown in color but the greater purple hairstreak is a striking iridescent purple on the upper side of its wings. The underside is a sort of dusky purple. Johnson’s hair streak has a smaller winglenth, at 3.2 - 3.5 cm (1- 1.2 in) compared to the 3.3 - 3.8 cm (1.3 - 1.5 in) wingspan of the greater purple hairstreak. 

Life Cycle: 

Both butterflies depend on mistletoe for their survival. The greater purple hairstreak is the only butterfly in the U.S. that feeds on American mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) and Johnson’s hairstreak feeds on the western species, dwarf mistletoe species (Arceuthobium spp.). Both lay their eggs on the leaves of the mistletoe and when the larvae hatch they eat their fill. As they eat they take up toxins from the mistletoe to use to protect themselves from predators. Interestingly, they do not use bright coloration to warn predators, instead they resemble mistletoe in pattern and color. It takes about 20 days to go from larva to pupa. The pupal stage lasts about 16 days. The adults drink nectar from the mistletoe flowers. Hairstreak adults live for about a month

Super Powers:

• Flight - the graceful flight of butterflies, complete with beautiful courtship “dance.”

• Poison - the larvae of these species are toxic thanks to the mistletoe they feed on.

Mistletoe in Culture:

• Greeks were really into mistletoe! They used it as an aphrodisiac and to heal everything from menstrual cramps to spleen disorders. They also thought it would give you immortality.

• Druids believed groves of oaks colonized by mistletoe were particularly sacred.

• In Norse culture, it was considered bad luck if a woman refused to kiss a man under the mistletoe. It was also used to temporarily stop fighting, as all parties in its presence had to adhere to peace.

• In Norse mythology, Baldur, Odin and Frigg’s son who all the Gods loved, dreamt of his death. In an effort to save her son, Frigg asked all of the beings and spirits to vow they would never hurt Baldur. No animals, stones, plants, trolls, etc. She did not bother asking Mistletoe because it was so small and seemed harmless. Later the Gods had a party and delighted in throwing dangerous things at Baldur, laughing and cheering when no harm came to him. His blind brother Hodr wanted to join in the fun, so Loki gave him a dart made from mistletoe, knowing Frigg did not ask for its pledge. Hodr threw the dart, killing Baldur. 

• Mistletoe became a part of Christmas tradition in the 18th century, associated with good luck if you hung it in your home during the Christmas season.

References:

Andrews, Evan. “Why Do We Kiss under the Mistletoe?” HISTORY, 24 Dec. 2013, www.history.com/news/why-do-we-kiss-under-the-mistletoe.

“Great Purple Hairstreak.” Wikipedia, 21 Sept. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_purple_hairstreak. Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.

“Johnson’s Hairstreak Callophrys Johnsoni (Skinner, 1904) | Butterflies and Moths of North America.” Www.butterfliesandmoths.org, www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Callophrys-johnsoni. Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.

“Mistletoe Science and Folklore.” MSU Extension, 17 Dec. 2015, www.canr.msu.edu/news/mistletoe_science_and_folklore. Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.

“Not Just for Kissing: Mistletoe and Birds, Bees, and Other Beasts | U.S. Geological Survey.” Www.usgs.gov, www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/not-just-kissing-mistletoe-and-birds-bees-and-other-beasts-0. Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.

‌Whittaker, Paul L. "POPULATION BIOLOGY OF THE GREAT PURPLE HAIRSTREAK, ATLIDES HALES US, IN TEXAS (L YCAENIDAE)." Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 38.3 (1984): 179-185.