Southern Downs InsectsSouthern Downs Beetles Southern Downs Butterflies & Moths Australian Emperor Common Drone Fly Scarlet Percher

The Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctata), also known as the Spotted Flower Chafer, is one of the chafers beetles, subfamily Cetoniinae, the scarab beetle family Scarabaeidae.

This beetle is found in eastern Australia, from central New South Wales up through to northern Queensland.

Pictured here is the Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum) on a Magnolia flower.

Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

When I first disturbed them the male immediately put his back legs in the air which is beetle for “Do not disturb” I assume.

Flower chafers are unusual beetles because they fly with their wing cases closed (most beetles lift their wing covers well clear of the body). The larvae of flower chafers are white and live in rotting wood or decaying vegetable matter.

Marc Newman
Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Subclass: Pterygota
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Suborder: Polyphaga
  • Infraorder: Scarabaeiformia
  • Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea
  • Family: Scarabaeidae
  • Subfamily: Cetoniinae
  • Tribe: Schizorhinini
  • Genus: Neorrhina
  • Species: Neorrhina punctatum
Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

Footnote & References

  1. Marc Newman, Flickr
  2. Punctate Flower Chafer (Neorrhina punctatum), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/325550-Neorrhina-punctatum
  3. Neorrhina punctatum (Donovan, 1805), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Neorrhina punctatum

Southern Downs BeetlesChristmas Beetle (Anoplognathus porosus) Dung Beetle (Onthophagus dandalu) Golden Stag Beetle (Lamprima aurata) Plague Soldier Beetle Punctate Flower Chafer Beetle Red-blue Banded Leaf Beetle Reddish-brown Flower Beetle (Aphanestes gymnopleura) Silver Wattle Leaf Beetle (Calomela ioptera) Small Cypress Jewel Beetle (Diadoxus erythrurus) Talaurinus fergusoni Tortoise Beetle (Paropsis maculata)

Southern Downs InsectsSouthern Downs Beetles Southern Downs Butterflies & Moths Australian Emperor Common Drone Fly Scarlet Percher

Southern Downs QLDSouthern Downs Fauna Southern Downs Bees Southern Downs Birds Southern Downs Crustacean Southern Downs Frogs Southern Downs Insects Southern Downs Marsupials Southern Downs Reptiles Southern Downs Spiders

QueenslandQueensland Fauna Gold Coast Region Lamington National Park Southern Downs QLD