Since first spotting the dreaded harlequin beetle on a walk with my dog last year I've kept a close eye on where I found them in large colonies on sapling sycamores. About a month ago I noticed their return in juvenile form as what in the past I took to be a type of scale insect. Yesterday I noticed this had happened to them:
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Almost overnight it seems they have all succumbed to what I take is a virulent fungal infection (I once saw something similar on a TV nature documentary.) Running my finger over one turned it to powder. It seems that our humid spring's not always to their liking.. hurray!
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2 comments:
Cheers Jimmy! I've just submitted my two sightings. When I first spotted them last November, and yesterdays 'death masks'. I'll keep you posted on the result. Hopefully they're shed some light on how unusual an occurrence this is.
Best!
Tim :o)x
Keep up the good work.
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