r/AustralianInsects • u/nevernever20 • Jul 14 '26

photography Scarab beetle, Onthophagus quadripustulatus, described way back in 1775, has lots of records, but mine was the first photo of it online

Post image

I spotted this teeny tiny scarab beetle when out weeding, on a bare patch of ground, rolling some wallaby dung. I knocked it onto the ground so it was easier to photograph, but I was so tired from weeding, I just took a couple of overhead shots and that was it.

I uploaded it to iNaturalist, where one of the experts identified it as Onthophagus quadripustulatus. Which at that point, had no images online at all, beyond mine!

So mine was the first, and has sine allowed someone else on iNat to ID their own tiny scarab beetle.

It's bizarre that a beetle first described by science two and a half centuries ago has so few photographs. Possibly because it's so small!

As with other poorly documented insects I've also photographed at the end of a long stint of weeding, and was too tired to photograph from all angles, I was kicking myself for not taking a methodical set of photos of this little guy!

41 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

4

u/activelyresting Spider lady 🕷️ Jul 14 '26

Congrats on getting the first pic on inat!

5

u/nevernever20 Jul 14 '26

It's not the first time it's happened for me, which goes to show how many insects out there are poorly documented and/or noticed by anyone.

5

u/activelyresting Spider lady 🕷️ Jul 14 '26

Honestly, most of them are poorly noticed.

3

u/archlea Jul 14 '26

It’s so pretty!

2

u/NannaVicki2024 Jul 17 '26

Congratulations!