Buprestidae of South Australia
( Jewel beetles )
by Peter J. Lang
Castiarina flavopicta   (Boisduval, 1835)
subfamily  Buprestinae » tribe  Stigmoderini » subtribe  Stigmoderina
Castiarina  species group: flavopicta
Castiarina flavopicta   Adult images
Castiarina flavopicta, PL0215, on Leptospermum myrsinoides, SL, 10.6 × 3.7 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL2806, on Grevillea pterosperma, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL3317, male, from Calytrix tetragona, SE, 9.3 × 3.1 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4260, male, from Olearia ramulosa, SE, 9.7 × 3.3 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL2806, on Grevillea pterosperma, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL2806, on Grevillea pterosperma, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL2806, on Grevillea pterosperma, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL2806, on Grevillea pterosperma, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL3314, on Leptospermum coriaceum, SE Castiarina flavopicta, SID7441, KI, photo by Kirrily Blaylock Castiarina flavopicta, SID7441, KI, photo by Kirrily Blaylock Castiarina flavopicta, SID7441, KI, photo by Kirrily Blaylock Castiarina flavopicta, SID7441, adult host plant, Olearia rudis, KI, photo by Kirrily Blaylock
Actual
size¹:
9.3 mm
×
3.2 mm
Measurements (mm)
malefemale
L19.0
6.9 – 10.3
n = 5510.0
7.55 – 11.45
n = 24
L28.9
6.7 – 10.3
n = 479.8
7.5 – 11.05
n = 21
W3.1
2.3 – 3.6
n = 553.5
2.6 – 4
n = 24
Legend  L1length from clypeus/frons to elytral apex (mean, range, sample size)
L2length from anterior of edge of eyes to elytral apex
Wmaximum width with elytra fully closed
Notes

There are only a few records from WA, but this species is common in SA, Tas, Vic, and NSW and just reaches into southern Qld.

Distribution
SA Regions¹:  EPMUYPSLKISE
Australian States:  WASATASVICNSWQLD
Southern South Australian occurrences
LegendP.J.Lang collection vouchered records
other private collection or museum specimens, or sightings
Satellite map
Terrain map
Enlarge map
Adult activity records for Castiarina flavopicta  (total of 190 beetles)
1 5
22 60 5 34
11 14 7 28
1
1
1
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Legend
live emerged adults, count > median value of 7 per quarter month
live emerged adults, count <= median value of 7
live non-emerged adults only, for that quarter month
12
number of active beetles for that quarter month
Adult host plants
beetles sites SA regions¹ family position on host plant
4810EP, MU, SEM1
454EPM1
Leptospermum sp.196SL, KIM1
172KIM1
126SL, SEM1
117EP, SL, KI, SEM1
52EP, SEP1
Hakea sp.41EPP1
42SL, KIM1
31EPM1
Melaleuca sp.31EPM1
21KIA
21SEX
11EPP2
Calytrix sp.11KIM1
11KIM1
11MUS
11SLM2
11EPM1
11SLT
11SER
Legendbeetlescount of beetles collected from, or sighted on, host plant taxon
sitescount of major sites (unique 10 km grid cells +/- some distinct approximate localities)
Plant names in green are hyperlinked to a matching host species page with plant photos.
Plant family
Code beetles % host plant taxa
M1 Myrtaceae 165 90% 9
P1 Proteaceae 9 5% 2
A Asteraceae 2 1% 1
X Xanthorrhoeaceae 2 1% 1
M2 Malvaceae 1 1% 1
P2 Pittosporaceae 1 1% 1
R Rhamnaceae 1 1% 1
S Santalaceae 1 1% 1
T Thymelaeaceae 1 1% 1
Position on adult host
positionbeetlessites
on flower(s)3117
on flowering plant6016
on foliage or non-flowering plant11
on plant (unspecified)9017
other
  in spider web11
Lure affinity
colour beetles sites SA regions¹
white1444SL, SE
light pink563SE
yellow203KI, SE
blue125EP, KI, SE
bright green103SE
light violet31SE
orange11SE
Castiarina flavopicta Breeding record images
Castiarina flavopicta, PL4257A, larva, in Olearia ramulosa, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 23.5 × 3.4 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4257, larva, from Olearia ramulosa, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL4257, larva, from Olearia ramulosa, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL4257, larva, from Olearia ramulosa, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL4257, larva, from Olearia ramulosa, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL4257, larva, from Olearia ramulosa, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL4257, larva, from Olearia ramulosa, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL4542x, pupa, in Olearia decurrens (PJL 3399) stem, MU, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 10.0 × 3.5 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4542x, pupa, in Olearia decurrens (PJL 3399) stem, MU, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 10.0 × 3.5 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4542x, pupa, from Olearia decurrens (PJL 3399) stem, MU, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 10.0 × 3.5 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4542x, pupa, from Olearia decurrens (PJL 3399) stem, MU, 10.0 × 3.5 mm Castiarina flavopicta, pupa, from Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3412) dead branch, with larval exuviae attached, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Castiarina flavopicta, PL4563x, pupa, in Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3414) stem, with larval exuviae attached, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski Castiarina flavopicta, PL4563x, pupa, in Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3414) stem, same pupa as previous 7 days later, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL4563x, pupa, in Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3414) stem, SE Castiarina flavopicta, PL4542, male, reared adult, from Olearia decurrens (PJL 3399) stem as pupa, MU, 10.1 × 3.4 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4561, female, reared adult, from Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3412) dead branch as pupa, with larval exuviae, SE, 11.5 × 3.9 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4563, reared adult, in Olearia lepidophylla, (PJL 3414) stem, SE, 10.1 × 3.6 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4563, reared adult, in Olearia lepidophylla, (PJL 3414) stem, SE, 10.1 × 3.6 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4256, male, non-emerged adult, in Olearia ramulosa, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 10.0 × 3.2 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4260, male, non-emerged adult, in Olearia ramulosa, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 9.7 × 3.3 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4562, male, non-emerged adult, in Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3413) stem, aedeagus exserted, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 10.2 × 3.6 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4564, non-emerged adult, in Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3415) stem base, chewed through stem ends arrowed, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 9.7 × 3.5 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4564, non-emerged adult, in Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3415) chewed through lower stem (upper left arrow), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 9.7 × 3.5 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4564, non-emerged adult, in Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3415) chewed through lower stem, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 9.7 × 3.5 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4566B, female, non-emerged adult, from Olearia picridifolia (PJL 3418) stem, MU, 9.9 × 3.4 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4260, larval host plant, Olearia ramulosa, SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 9.7 × 3.3 mm Castiarina flavopicta, PL4564, larval host plant, Olearia lepidophylla (PJL 3415), SE, photo by A.M.P. Stolarski, 9.7 × 3.5 mm
Larval host plants
records sites SA regions¹ family adult liveadult ex pupapupapupa ex larvalarva
91SEA23211
51SEA23
31MUA21
21MUA11
11MUA1
Legendrecordscount of breeding adults, pupae and larvae
sitescount of major sites (unique 10 km grid cells +/- some distinct approximate localities)
adultlive = extracted alive;   dead = extracted dead as intact or fragmentary remains;   ex billet = reared and emerged from stored sections of host;   ex pupa = reared from sampled pupa
pupaextracted pupa;   pupa ex larva = reared pupa from larva
larvaextracted larva (any stage including prepupa)
gall (only)hatched or unhatched gall identified by form and position rather than contents
Plant names in green are hyperlinked to a matching host species page with plant photos.
Plant family
Code records % host plant taxa
A Asteraceae 20 100% 5
Position in larval host
positionrecordssitesadult liveadult ex pupapupapupa ex larvalarva
stem base111
stem18363414
dead stem111
Host plant notes

A.M.P. Stolarski discovered the first breeding records of this species in SA. Based on extracted or reared adults it has now been established as breeding in five different species of Daisy-bushes (Olearia). It might also be expected to use related genera such as Ozothamnus. Not surprisingly the closely related species Castiarina colorata also uses Olearia as a larval host.

¹ LegendregionsSA State Herbarium regions (map)
EA: Eastern, EP: Eyre Peninsula, FR: Flinders Ranges, GT: Gairdner-Torrens, KI: Kangaroo Island, LE: Lake Eyre, MU: Murray, NL: Northern Lofty, NU: Nullarbor, NW: North-Western, SE: South-Eastern, SL: Southern Lofty, YP: Yorke Peninsula
sizeThe ellipse is the correct size when printed, indicative on a desktop screen, and likely to be wrong on a mobile device.