Metallic wood-boring Beetles (Buprestidae)

The metallic wood-boring beetles are pretty insects, slim shaped, except some species, and generally adorned with bright and metallic colors. There are about 12000 species distributed worldwide, but they are the most abundant and the most brightly-colored in warmer areas.

Buprestid beetles are mainly diurnal, are very fast, and they fly away very quickly when approached. Adults can be found on the leaves of plants or trees where their larvae are developing, on trunks, logs piles, or flowers...

The larvae are soft-bodied, not very sclerotized, with vestigial legs. They are phytophagous or xylophagous and develop in the wood of various tree species, or in the roots or stems of herbaceous plants. Some burrow through the leaves of plants (leaf miners).


The elytra of some jewel beetles may be used to make "art works". No comments ....