New Zealand Invertebrates

DSC_0320 Elephant weevil (Rhyncodes ursus) a brightly coloured female, recently emerged on mountain beech. Found from New Caledonia (including Lifou), through the Kermadecs and throughout NZ. The larvae tunnel in the dead wood of beech, kauri, Dracophyllum and taraire. The adults can be found crawling slowly over the trunks of these trees in summer, feeding on exuded tree sap. Lake Manapouri, Fiordland *

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DSC_0320 Elephant weevil (Rhyncodes ursus) a brightly coloured female, recently emerged on mountain beech. Found from New Caledonia (including Lifou), through the Kermadecs and throughout NZ. The larvae tunnel in the dead wood of beech, kauri, Dracophyllum and taraire. The adults can be found crawling slowly over the trunks of these trees in summer, feeding on exuded tree sap. Lake Manapouri, Fiordland *

DSC 0320 Elephant weevil wiiwira Rhyncodes ursus adult female mountain beech trunk crawling slowly Lake Manapouri Fiordland