Family Buprestidae

This mainly tropical family contains some of the most colourful and beautiful beetles in the world. Thought to consist of more than 15,000 species worldwide, Papua New Guinea is represented by some of the most spectacular, including the genera Calodema, Metaxymorpha and Cyphogastra. Many are rare or at least hard to find, and many can only be found at one time of the year. There have been occasions when an individual species has been common one year, not to be seen again in any numbers for many years, so there are most likely certain rare seasonal conditions which are necessary for their occasional abundance. Most adults are caught feeding on certain flowering trees such as Euodia sp. together with many species of Cetonids, and it is sometimes no mean feat to climb up to collect them. Only occasionally are they caught flying at ground level.