The Australian Museum and Friends of Lord Howe survey of large Coleoptera on Lord Howe Island, August 2022

Abstract

A survey of large beetles, one centimetre or more in length, on Lord Howe Island, was conducted in August 2022 and the results are discussed. In total, 32 large species were found. This was the first survey made at least one beetle generation after eradication of the rodents in 2019, and there was some evidence of recovery, in particular of the large flightless endemic cerambycid, Xylotoles wollastoni (White, 1856), but also of a leaf beetle, Dematochroma picea (Baly, 1864) and an exotic pest of lawns, Heteronychus arator (Fabricius, 1775). There was also evidence of recovery of Carabidae species after the prolonged dry years of 2016 to 2019.

Keywords

• lord howe island
• blackburn island
• coleoptera
• conservation