Rare glimpse of 'spectacular' and elusive Aussie enigma
Among these, few are quite as striking as the feather-horned beetle, a curious little critter with wonderfully flamboyant features. As their name suggests, the species' "horns", which are actually antennae, resemble large, almost peacock-like feathers. Their bodies are covered in white spots.
What makes them especially remarkable is their rarity and mysterious life cycle. While adult males are sometimes seen flying in search of mates, females are rarely observed. Even more elusive are their larvae, which are believed to be parasites of cicadas, but this behaviour remains poorly documented.
Earlier this month, Queensland-based insect enthusiast Tony Vernon was observing the "spectacular" creatures when he came across numerous clusters of 10 to 12 of the insects, in the space of 100 metres near the Gregory River, about 18 kilometres north of Proserpine. An amateur photographer and wildlife documenter, Tony said he'd never seen anything quite like it.
"The curious thing was, they were all on the hot tape of an electric fence. I only saw one or two on weed seed heads, and just one on a Melaleuca leaf," Tony told Yahoo News Australia.
Tony said the problem with feather-horned beetles is that very little is known about their life cycle and ecology. "There are six species in Australia, and all the ones I've seen belong to the same one: rhipicera femorata," he said.
"Interestingly, most of the beetles people see are males. They're the ones following pheromone trails left by the females, which is why you see them actively searching. I haven't seen any females myself. Even more fascinating — no one has ever found the larvae of these beetles."
Tony wondered why, all of a sudden, this apparent boom was taking place near his home. "Has anyone else ... noticed an increase?" he questioned.
📸 Sad story behind viral image highlights Australia's invasive species crisis
😳 Grim discovery in abandoned fishing trap near popular track
🌏 Air crew makes exciting 'once-in-a-lifetime' discovery in outback
What makes feather-horned beetles so special?
Feather-horned beetles are among Australia's most striking and lesser-known insect species, instantly recognisable by the dramatic, feathery antennae sported by the males. These elaborate, comb-like structures, sometimes longer than the beetle's own body, are used to detect pheromones released by females, allowing them to locate a mate with extraordinary sensitivity.
Belonging to the family rhipiceridae, feather-horned beetles are part of an ancient lineage with very few species found worldwide. Australia is home to several, including the particularly distinctive rhipicera femorata, which emerges in summer and is often spotted in bushland areas.
These beetles are a vivid example of Australia's rich and still-unfolding insect biodiversity, with their unique appearance and life history continuing to fascinate entomologists.
Entomologist says beetle sightings may be linked to surge in cicadas
Speaking to Yahoo News, Nicole Gunter, Scientist and Curator of Entomology at Queensland Museum, revealed a possible reason Tony spotted so many of the little bugs in a relatively short distance.
She said adult feather-horn beetles are relatively short-lived. They undergo synchronous emergence (when multiple individuals start acting together, or in a coordinated way, at the same time) to increase their chances of successfully reproducing.
"Seasonality differs between species ... in Queensland, with peak emergence in late winter," she said.
"These beetles are parasites of cicada, and the warming soil temperatures that are important in cicada life cycles are responsible for the synchronous emergence. The impact of soil temperature may be indirect, though, and it might be that their hosts, the cicada larvae, are moving to the surface, and this triggers the emergence of the beetles.
"The male beetles use their impressive fan-shaped antennae to detect pheromones of the females, so you'll often find them perched somewhere with lots of air circulation where they spread their antennae and wait to detect the pheromones of a potential mate."
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Great Barrier Reef suffers most widespread bleaching on record
Australia's famed Great Barrier Reef has suffered its most widespread coral bleaching on record, according to a government report released Wednesday that warns the natural wonder is in dire health. Scientists documented the "most spatially extensive" bleaching since records began almost 40 years ago, driven by sweltering ocean temperatures in 2024 that triggered "unprecedented levels of heat stress". The Australian Institute of Marine Science surveyed the health of 124 coral reefs between August 2024 and May 2025. Northern and southern branches of the sprawling reef had seen the "largest annual decline in coral cover" ever recorded, the government agency found. Reefs had been battered by tropical cyclones and infestations of crown-of-thorns starfish that feast on coral. But the "number one cause is climate change," said the institute's research lead Mike Emslie. "There is no doubt about that," he told AFP. Often dubbed the world's largest living structure, the Great Barrier Reef is a 2,300 kilometre (1,400-mile) expanse of tropical corals that houses a stunning array of biodiversity. But repeated bleaching events have threatened to rob the tourist drawcard of its wonder, turning banks of once-vibrant coral a sickly white. Unusually warm tropical waters triggered widespread coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 2024 and in the first few months of 2025 -- the sixth such event in the past nine years. "The (Great Barrier Reef) experienced unprecedented levels of heat stress, which caused the most spatially extensive and severe bleaching recorded to date," the report found. Over the past two years a mass global bleaching event has drained the life from more than 80 percent of the world's coral reefs. Bleaching occurs when water temperatures rise forcing coral to expel the colourful microscopic algae, known as zooxanthellae, embedded in their tissues. If high temperatures persist, the coral can eventually turn white and die. Emslie said past coral growth would help cushion the record losses and that the Great Barrier Reef was still an "amazing place". - 'Worth fighting for' - "It is still worth fighting for. We can't throw our arms up and give up," he said. The report found a rapidly growing type of coral -- known as acropora -- had suffered the most. This coral is quick to grow, but is also one of the first to bleach. The report found that any recovery of the reef could take years and was dependent on future coral reproduction and minimal environmental disturbance. Richard Leck from the World Wildlife Fund compared the fluctuating health of the Great Barrier Reef to a "rollercoaster". "That is a sign of an ecosystem under incredible stress and what reef scientists are hugely concerned about is when the reef does not keep bouncing back the way it has," he told AFP. Leck said some coral reefs around the world were already beyond recovery, warning the Great Barrier Reef could suffer the same fate without ambitious and rapid climate action. The average sea surface temperature around Australia was the "highest on record" in 2024, according to Australian National University. Australia is currently developing its next round of emissions reduction targets, a key obligation under the landmark Paris climate agreement. The mining superpower remains one of the world's biggest coal exporters and continues to heavily subsidise its fossil fuel sectors. lec/sft/mtp
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Immutep Receives Positive Feedback from FDA on Late-Stage Clinical Development of Eftilagimod Alfa in Head and Neck Cancer with CPS <1
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, Aug. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immutep Limited (ASX: IMM; NASDAQ: IMMP) ('Immutep' or 'the Company'), a late-stage immunotherapy company targeting cancer and autoimmune diseases, today announces it has received positive and constructive feedback from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), regarding future clinical development of its first-in-class MHC Class II agonist, eftilagimod alfa ('efti'), for first line treatment of recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (1L HNSCC) patients who have PD-L1 expression below 1 (Combined Positive Score [CPS] <1). Based on its review of the encouraging data in 1L HNSCC with CPS <1 from the TACTI-003 (KEYNOTE-C34) Phase IIb trial evaluating efti in combination with MSD's (Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA) anti-PD-1 KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), the FDA agreed on the potential of efti in combination with KEYTRUDA to address the high unmet need in this CPS <1 patient segment and is supportive of the combination's further development. Paths for future clinical development and potential accelerated approval in light of the FDA's Project FrontRunner include a randomised registrational trial evaluating efti in combination with KEYTRUDA against standard-of-care therapy or alternatively a smaller single-arm study (e.g. 70 - 90 patients) with safety, response rate, and duration of response as key endpoints, followed by a confirmatory randomised study that builds on the existing data. 'We are pleased with the FDA's feedback and guidance that underscores the high unmet need of head and neck cancer patients whose PD-L1 expression level is below one. The FDA feedback positions Immutep to evaluate options for future collaborative clinical development paths to bring a new, effective and safe treatment option to this underserved patient population,' said Marc Voigt, CEO of Immutep. 'Our primary focus clearly remains the pivotal TACTI-004 Phase III evaluating efti as first line therapy for non-small cell lung cancer and we are excited with its progress to date and the consistent, encouraging feedback we hear from physicians. This focus and additional considerations will be reviewed internally and discussed with stakeholders and potential strategic partners in regards to forward paths in head and neck cancer,' added Mr Voigt. Project FrontRunner is an FDA Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) initiative to encourage drug sponsors to consider when it may be appropriate to develop and seek approval of cancer drugs for advanced/metastatic disease, in an earlier clinical setting rather than the usual approach to develop and seek approval of a drug for treatment of patients who have received numerous prior lines of therapies or have exhausted available treatment options. In this setting, advancing new effective therapies has the greatest potential to significantly improve quantity and quality of patients' lives. Patients with CPS <1 in 1L HNSCC represent a treatment population with high unmet medical need. Up to 20% of 1L HNSCC patients have CPS <1 and despite immunotherapy's progress in fighting cancer, anti-PD-1 therapy alone (without chemotherapy) is only approved for patients who express PD-L1 (CPS >1). All currently available treatment options for patients with PD-L1 CPS <1 include chemotherapy. About Immutep Immutep is a late-stage biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune disease. The Company is a pioneer in the understanding and advancement of therapeutics related to Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG-3), and its diversified product portfolio harnesses LAG-3's ability to stimulate or suppress the immune response. Immutep is dedicated to leveraging its expertise to bring innovative treatment options to patients in need and to maximise value for shareholders. For more information, please visit KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA. Australian Investors/Media:Eleanor Pearson, Sodali & Co.+61 2 9066 4071; U.S. Investors/Media:Chris Basta, VP, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications+1 (631) 318 4000;
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cameras around popular hiking trail capture jaw-dropping moment that's leaving experts stumped: 'This is very unusual behavior'
Cameras around popular hiking trail capture jaw-dropping moment that's leaving experts stumped: 'This is very unusual behavior' Wildlife officials have been stumped by the odd behavior of a rare adult male bull moose caught on trail cameras in the Adirondacks region of upstate New York, according to the Associated Press. "This is very unusual behavior," said Dave Kramer, a research scientist for New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, per the AP. "Typically at this time of year, moose will have moved down into the lower elevations, where they're primarily browsing on aquatic vegetation." The moose, which experts estimate to be about 4 years old and weighs roughly 900 pounds, has been lingering around the Goodman Mountain trail in the Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest since May, prompting officials to temporarily close the popular hiking trail, per the AP. Using multiple trail cameras in the area, officials have been able to remotely monitor the animal in an attempt to determine the cause of the strange behavior. A team of experts has also made periodic in-person observations from a safe distance. While experts suspect that some sort of disease or parasite may be at play, they have not observed any visible signs of illness. The moose has not displayed any signs of aggression, officials said. "His body condition hasn't deteriorated to the point where we're concerned that he's struggling," said Kramer, according to the AP. "So right now we're just kind of monitoring periodically and assessing each time." The situation highlighted the important role that trail cameras play in allowing non-invasive observations of wildlife in their natural habitats. Trail cameras also allow researchers to safely collect a wide range of useful data. "For instance, information can be collected on animal movement and range size, minimum population size, demographic data … identifying nest predators, or cataloging vertebrate diversity," according to Texas A&M University. When combined with data from other sources, trail cameras help inform wildlife management decisions and identify rare or difficult-to-observe animals. Without the trail cameras that were already in place, wildlife experts in the Adirondacks would not be able to keep nearly as close an eye on the bull moose's behavior, particularly while also maintaining a safe distance from the animal. Do you worry about air pollution in your town? All the time Often Only sometimes Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. For the time being, the trail, which is in the town of Tupper Lake, will remain closed to hikers, as officials continue to observe the moose. In mid-July, a team of experts hiked to the animal's location to make in-person observations. They found the moose resting in the middle of the trail, and its behavior seemed "off," according to Adirondack Explorer. Still, Kramer cautioned that, while "the moose does appear a little thinner than we would expect this time of year," it is difficult to make any kind of diagnosis in the wild, per the AP. Though the moose's outlook remained unclear, one thing was certain: Wildlife officials would be able to monitor the animal's condition from a safe distance thanks to trail cameras. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
