They are a type of ground beetle with alternating bright red and metallic blue bands which sometimes appear green.
They don’t like high humidity, and tilling the soil will reduce their numbers.
Adult size: 5 mm
Out and about
They live in a range of environments, and are active early mornings and late afternoons during the summer. . They are an Australian native widespread throughout temperate and subtropical regions.
Reproduction and Life cycle
The female lays a cluster of eggs in the ground litter and the larvae and pupae live in the soil until they emerge as an adults. Their life cycle takes around a year.
To deter
To control
Plants to repel
Plants to attract
Daisy family such as sunflowers and marigolds
Umbelliferae family such as angelica, parsley and dill.
Predators
Why they are Beneficial
They are a predator that feeds on eggs and small, slow invertebrates including aphids and caterpillars.
The adults will feed on pollen- it is sometimes called a pollen beetle. They are very fast moving.
The larvae feed on small soil organisms.
