anthrenus museorum , commonly known as the museum beetle , is a species of beetle found in the palearctic ( including europe ) , the near east and the nearctic .

in its larval form it damages all forms of dry skin and hair .

the larva will also eat dry cheese , flour or cocoa occasionally .

it is a considered a pest , as it damages , among other , the skin of taxidermy , such as in museums .

the larva is yellowish , hairy , and measures 4.5 millimetres ( 0.18 in ) .

the dorsal surface of the prothorax is brownish .

at its rear end , it has three pairs of long antenna .

the adult measures 2 to 4 mm .

it has a round shape and its dark elytra are spotted with bright colors .

it lives for one or two weeks , outdoors , on plants .

it prefers the flowers of asteraceae , apiaceae and scrophulariaceae .

to lay eggs , the female seeks nooks , carpets , flooring or wool to hide and to assure a food supply for the larvae .

she lays forty eggs at a time once a year .

anthrenus museorum

kari pihlaviita added the finnish common name
museokuoriainen
to
anthrenus museorum ( linnaeus , 1761 )
.
the presence of anthrenus museorum can be spotted above all from the damage they cause ( material loss , holes , … ) , and from the presence of larval exoskeletons and of debris on materials .
speckkäfer larve , carpet beetle anthrenus larva it eats my hair thats not fair .
kari pihlaviita added the finnish common name
ryijykuoriainen
to
anthrenus verbasci ( linnaeus 1767 )
.
the varied carpet beetle ( anthrenus verbasci ) is a 3 mm - long beetle belonging to the family dermestidae .
maggie whitson added the english common name
carpet beetle
to
anthrenus verbasci ( linnaeus 1767 )
.
i don’t like anthrenus . they have devoured plenty of specimens in my relatively small insect collection including , recently , a large number of parasitic flies ( family tachinidae ) stored in a rather old and obviously not anthrenus - proof store box .
it is one of several similar species , including the more appropriately named anthrenus museorum , that can wreak havoc among the museums’ treasured collections , unless each and every item is examined on a rolling check every year or so . large items , like stuffed birds and animals are often on display and chewings are immediately noticed . but trays and trays of pinned and carded insect specimens locked away in dusty mahogany cabinets in the store rooms can go for decades unexamined ; it is not until some visiting expert tries to check out the particular family or genus they’ve been working on , that the anthrenus infestation is revealed . all that now remains are rows and rows of neatly arrayed pins and piles of dust . no , entomologists do not like anthrenus .
anthrenus museorum have a polyphagous and necrophagous food diet . they prefer quiet places ; they are fond of carpets , wardrobes , plinth areas , and they also live in rodents’ , birds’ and fowl’s nests where they feed on dried animal fragments and debris . adults have a very short lifetime of around 1 or 2 weeks . they do not cause any damage , whereas their larvae have a marked preference for insect collections and stuffed furry or feathered animals . they can survive in very , very dry environments . they are considered as the most harmful museum species worldwide , but in france other anthrenus species ( cf . a . verbasci fact - sheet ) are found in museums and can be much more frequent . the species is commonly found in natural environments . adults live on flowers and can be quite abundant ( along with other anthrenus species ) on apiaceae ( umbellifera ) flowers where they feed on nectar and pollen . adults are good fliers .
anthreninae includes nine species of anthrenus , small , round species clothed with brown and grey scales . adults can often be found nectaring on flowers but some species ( particularly anthrenus verbasci ( l . ) ) are also found indoors and are notorious destroyers of insect collections : they are often referred to as the only beetle collectors are sad to see in a collection .
but i do have a soft spot for one of its close relatives — ctesias serra . the adult beetles are slightly larger , flatter and shinier then anthrenus , and the bristly larvae are lovely .
g . m . blake ( 1958 ) .
control of diapause by an internal clock in anthrenus verbasci
. nature 183 ( 4654 ) : 126–127 . doi : 10 . 1038 / 183126a0 .
a new species of anthrenus geoffroy , 1762 ( coleoptera : dermestidae ) from california , with a key to the nearctic species marcin kadej . 2011 . the coleopterists bulletin 65 ( 3 ) : 309 - 314 .
it might seem odd , at first , that anthrenus should have found this strange little ecological niche in which to have evolved their annoying and destructive lives . and they rather beg the question , where did museum beetles live before there were museums ?
t . nisimura & h . numata ( 2001 ) .
endogenous timing mechanism controlling the circannual pupation rhythm of the varied carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci
. journal of comparative physiology a 187 ( 6 ) : 433–440 . doi : 10 . 1007 / s003590100215 . pmid 11548990 .
there is no magic involved , though , just the depredations of the larvae of museum beetles — anthrenus species . ‘undisturbed’ is the operative word here . undisturbed , unmonitored , unseen inside the boxes , a population of museum beetles chewed through the butterflies until there was nothing left but the beetles’ powdery dusty droppings .
t . imai , m . maekawa & s . tsuchiya ( 2002 ) .
attractiveness of p - anisaldehyde to the varied carpet beetle , anthrenus verbasci ( l . ) ( coleoptera : dermestidae )
. applied entomology and zoology 37 ( 4 ) : 505–508 . doi : 10 . 1303 / aez . 2002 . 505 .
it is the tiny bristly larvae that do the damage , chewing their way through the insect specmens , often from the inside out . with generation times of only a few days or weeks , it is not long before there is an army of anthrenus larvae . oh , entomologists grit their teeth and curse softly under their breath at the thought .
collections that come their way . this is all very significant for me , because i have just helped them transfer the nine cabinets of my father’s insect collections into the museum , along with a cabinet of snail shells and his herbarium , all of which he bequeathed to the booth in his will . during his lifetime he was lucky that he never had any anthrenus infestations .
e . watson , g . barson , d . pinniger , g . roberts & a . ludlow ( 1997 ) .
evaluation of the behavioural responses of anthrenus verbasci adults and larvae to permethrin using a computerized tracking system
. journal of stored products 33 ( 4 ) : 335–346 . doi : 10 . 1016 / s0022 - 474x ( 97 ) 00013 - 1 .
a family of 40 mostly small ( 1 . 5 - 12mm ) beetles , many of which are familiar as pests of insect collections and stored products ( particularly anthrenus spp . and dermestes spp . ) . the ‘woolly bear’ larvae can be a frequent sight where protein - rich food sources are available ( e . g . dead insects in light fittings ) . there are seven subfamilies in britain .
the museum beetle , anthrenus verbasci , is a small ( 2 . 0 - 2 . 5 mm ) globular little beast , very pretty under the microscope because of its mottled variegated scales . but it is the scourge of entomologists the world over . as its name suggests , it haunts museums — in particular the cases of stuffed birds and animals , stores of dried animal skins and drawers of pinned insects .
it is almost identical to that of all anthrenus species . in summer , females frequently get into houses to lay their eggs , provided that they can find food substrates for their larvae . they are strongly attracted by natural light ; they can be seen on window panes and around windows , trying to reach the outside world . after fecundation , females lay between 20 and 200 eggs in carpets , woollen materials , small flooring cracks , birds’ nests…
the occasional anthrenus is also sometimes fished out of empty bee and wasp nests . these are often made in the same places as bird and animal nests , either in hollow trees , loft spaces or hedge bottoms . here they appear to be devouring the remains of dead insects littering the lower regions of the combs . there is very little evolutionary leap from dead bees and the remains of the wasps’ prey , to the insect specimens hoarded away in the local museum .
ctesias is a relatively uncommon species , but occurs on a wide variety of trees , including some of the large street trees here in east dulwich . unlike anthrenus , it does not find abundant food in bird or small mammal nests , nor has it invaded bee or wasp colonies . it has certainly not come indoors to munch the carpet or the soft furnishings . and it has never been found in insect collections . i like ctesias . i like it a lot .
m . j . linnie & m . j . keatinge ( 2000 ) .
pest control in museums : toxicity of para - dichlorobenzene , ' vapona ' , and naphthalene against all stages in the life - cycle of museum pests , dermestes maculatus degeer , and anthrenus verbasci ( l . ) ( coleostidae )
. international biodeterioration and biodegradation 45 ( 1–2 ) : 1–13 . doi : 10 . 1016 / s0964 - 8305 ( 00 ) 00034 - 2 .
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museum für naturkunde leibniz - institut für evolutions - und biodiversitätsforschung invalidenstr . 43 10115 berlin germany e - mail : fauna - eu ( at ) mfn - berlin . de website : urltoken
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upcoming events 2018 bugguide gathering in virginia july 27 - 29 : registration and discussion photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in wisconsin , july 10 - 12 photos of insects and people from the 2014 gathering in virginia , june 4 - 7 . photos of insects and people from the 2013 gathering in arizona , july 25 - 28 photos of insects and people from the 2012 gathering in alabama photos of insects and people from the 2011 gathering in iowa photos from the 2010 workshop in grinnell , iowa photos from the 2009 gathering in washington
bright scales of dorsal surface condensed on side margins of pronotum and forming three ( usually narrow ) fasciae on elytra . eyes not notched in front , antennae 8 - segmented , with club of two segments . antennal club considerably shorter than rest of antenna .
native to the palaearctic , adventive in our area ( ne . na : nf - on to ct - wi )
in some regions , esp . within its native range , lives primarily outdoors ; larvae rarely in bird nests , usually in bee nests ( feeding on moth pupae ) and in spider nests in peridomestic habitats . in the sheet webs of
larvae are found in the egg sacs , feeding on eggs and spiders that failed to hatch ; larvae crawl on the web without being attacked . adults are active on flowers in sunlight , then become negatively phototactic and seek sheltered sites .
the similarly coloured a . fuscus has 6 - segmented antennae with one club segment only , as long or longer than the rest of the antenna .
the derodontidae , dermestidae , bostrichidae , and anobiidae of the maritime provinces of canada ( coleoptera : bostrichiformia ) c . j . majka . 2007 . zootaxa 1573 : 1–38 .
handbook of urban insects and arachnids : a handbook of urban entomology robinson w . h . 2005 . cambridge university press .
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round - shaped , head clearly visible , rather short pronotum eight - articled antennae , the last 2 articles form a club triangular - shaped thorax when seen from above . rather short legs that can fold back into their grooves on the ventral surface .
almost black head . dark to black top with golden or whitish spots or stripes , more or less regularly distributed on thorax and elytra . ventral surface of a uniform light - grey colour .
oval - shaped , like small , whitish grubs with long , erect black bristles on the top of their body and 3 bunches of converging hairs at their rear end .
young larvae are a yellowish white , and they grow darker and darker as they get older .
egg incubation requires between 11 and 15 days . larval development length depends very much on temperature and on the nutrient richness of infested materials . in natural conditions , the full development cycle lasts about 12 months and there is one generation per year . in optimal thermo - hygrometric conditions and in heated places ( 30°c ) , cycle length is shorter and there can be two generations per year . conversely , in unfavourable or extreme conditions , the whole development cycle can last up to 2 years , even more .
there are 5 to 6 consecutive larval molts on an average , but a maximum number of 29 has already been observed . at the end of their development , larvae turn into nymphs , which are rather short and a yellowish colour . nymphosis lasts about 10 days at 24°c , slightly less if temperatures are higher ( 8 days at 30°c ) . once the adult stage is reached , the imago lives in the larval remains for about a week before becoming active and taking flight .
as indicated by their name , museum beetles are very fond of museums where they seek insect collections , herbaria , stuffed animals , skins , furs , dessicated animal bodies , cotton goods , leather , wool , natural or artificial silk fibers , all kinds of paper goods , cereal , and diverse foodstuffs ( especially when they contain starch ) .
the images stopped me in my tracks . these are the haunting signs that will make any entomologist hang their head in melancholy regret at things lost and gone forever .
these shadowy outlines were stained into the paper lining a couple of store - boxes i recently picked up at the booth museum of natural history , in brighton . they are all that is left of the butterfly specimens earnestly collected , carefully mounted and proudly pinned into the cork by some long - gone entomologist .
imagine what would happen to the dried insect specimens , pinned into the box ( the boxes stored flat to allow some stacking ) , if the butterfly bodies and wings suddenly and magically turned to fine dust . the dust would fall and settle on the white paper beneath , in exactly the same shape as the insect that was once above , and over the months or years the undisturbed dust would impregnate the white fibres of the lining , casting a tinge of discoloration . all that remains are the naked pins and the small rectangles of the data labels . now the pins and labels have been removed , leaving their own echoes too .
every museum in the world will have horror stories of some precious and irreplaceable collection reduced to dust like this . store - boxes are especially prone , because they are apt to be left shut up for years or decades at a time . glass - topped cabinet drawers , at least , can be easily pulled out and examined for the tell - tale dusty signs of an infestation — hopefully caught early on .
like many museums , the booth is glad to get rid of all the store boxes it can , transferring the many specimens into standard glazed drawers . and as i’m discussing this with the curators they shake their heads and bemoan the state of so many
the museum can heave a sigh of relief that the alfred w . jones bequest is pest - free , and there are no signs of any ghostly shadows on the paper linings of the drawers .
no matter how small and mean is an insect , there’s an entomologist , somewhere , who thinks it wonderful . lots of people love butterflies , and moths , and bees , and dragonflies . dung beetles are among my own favourites . elsewhere there are fans of stick insects , earwigs , fleas and hissing cockroaches . even ants , apparently , have their followers .
but , to a man ( or woman ) , there is one insect universally loathed by entomologists of all walks of life . this one .
museum beetles do not just live in museums , they also live in homes , where they go by another name — carpet beetles . here , the same fuzzy larvae , sometimes endearingly called woolly bears , chew away at the axminster or the wilton . not that this gets us much further ; ok so where did they live before humans had carpets ? where did they live in the many rug - free millennia before the intricacies of the persian or the turkish knot , before the loom , before even the first sabre - toothed tiger skin was cast down onto the cold rough cave floor by mr and mrs neanderthal ?
it seems they probably lived in bird and small mammal nests . despite the fact that museum ( or carpet ) beetles now frequent our very modern homes and learned institutions , their metabolism is still governed by their digestion of the moulted feathers and fur they first tasted way back in evolutionary history . in the home they find ready nutrition in the wool of our carpets . they will also eat silk ( another animal fibre ) , feathers ( whether boas or stuffed birds ) , furs ( stoles , coats and more stuffed displays ) . and they will attack the chitin shells of museum insect specimens .
ctesias follows a quiet and secretive life on old trees where it ekes out a living eating dead insects . these it pinches from the snarled and matted webs of the the several types of spiders that live underneath the loose and peeling bark , or inside hollow trunks . it tiptoes about in the dark nibbling at the dry husks , but is itself immune to spider attack . if a spider comes near , ctesias starts wiggling its tail , at high speed . this sets up jamming signals across the silk threads of the webs . the spiders are unable to work out where the vibrations are coming from , so cannot calculate a pounce . a spider would only get a mouthful of broken bristles if it tried .
when 17th century apothecary and naturalist james petiver published a picture of what , for 200 years , would be britain ' s most enigmatic butterfly , albin ' s hampstead eye , he reported :
where it was caught by this curious person
. his implication was that eleazar albin was not just strange , not just odd , but was fuelled by curiosity .
these are some of the books and other projects going on at the moment . . . . . .
i like beetles , i like them very much indeed , so i wrote a book about them .
a key selling point is the fact that the spine of the book is adorned with an elephant ' s bottom . publication : february 2017 .
a natural history of animals in the home . click here for details of how to get the now scarce hardback .
a series of introductory ' how to ' workshops / seminars . click here for follow - up information .
published august 2012 . how an irritating but trivial gnat became imbued with dark menace well beyond its diminutive size .
garden wildlife blog , mostly creepy crawlies , but also the occasional bluetit , fox or bat . don ' t mention cats though .
here ' s a brief selection of things past , although they do sometimes come back to haunt . . . . . .
published may 2012 . this ' ll get you scratching your head . everything you wanted to know about head lice .
biggest , fattest , fastest , shiniest , loudest , but also ugliest , slimiest , most dangerous , hairiest legs and rarest .
scanning electron microscopy of shark skin , bat tongue , butterfly wing , fern frond .
i wrote on the biology , evolution , ecology and physiology of honeybees ; others contributed chapters on beekeeping history , practical hive husbandry and honey recipes .
article for the sierra club . the astounding close - up images are by john hallmén .
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disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
common name refers to common occurence in houses , where larvae may feed on woolen carpets .
in the wild , abandoned nests of birds / mammals or old wasp nests ; some spp . are common household stored product pests . adults frequent flowers .
larvae scavenge on accumulated fur , feathers , skin flakes , dead insects , etc . keratine - or chitin - rich materials ; adults feed on pollen on flowers
larvae may cause considerable damage on wool , fur , feathers , and natural history collections .
control can be achieved by keeping your home free of accumulated hair and dust ( dust is mostly shed skin flakes of people and pets ) , discarding infested items and properly storing vulnerable items . store dry foods ( including dry pet food ) in glass or metal containers with tight - fitting lids . store woolens , furs , silks in a cedar chest . forget mothballs and moth crystals . they are ineffective and carcinogenic respectively .
american beetles , volume ii : polyphaga : scarabaeoidea through curculionoidea arnett , r . h . , jr . , m . c . thomas , p . e . skelley and j . h . frank . ( eds . ) . 2002 . crc press llc , boca raton , fl .
peterson field guides : beetles richard e . white . 1983 . houghton mifflin company .
the varied carpet beetle is indigenous to europe and in england is common south of a line drawn between bristol and the wash . the furniture carpet beetle is of subtropical origin and more cold sensitive . both species are pests of animal products and occasionally food products of plant origin . consequently , they may be found wherever these commodities are stored or handled . carpet beetles are now one of the major pests of textiles , their success being attributed to central heating , which ensures uniform temperatures , and to the increasing use of wall - to - wall carpeting , which allows the insects to breed undisturbed . furthermore , the success of industrial mothproofing treatments has effectively removed the moth challenge . warm , dry conditions are ideal for their development , but they can survive in foodstuffs of very low moisture content , e . g . 11 - 12 % . as its common name suggests the museum beetle is commonly encountered in museums where it is a particular pest of dried specimens . it will also attack textiles and has been recorded as infesting grain . the fur beetle may be found in a wide variety of products including furs , skins , textiles and grain . adult carpet beetles live outdoors on pollen and nectar , taken in particular from umbelliferae and spiraes . they can also be found wandering on walls and windows . in temperate climates the larvae are particularly evident in the autumn when they wander in search of food and hibernation sites . carpet beetles thrive in situations where they remain undisturbed , for example beneath carpets , around skirting boards and in wardrobes . bird and rodent nests , animal remains and dead insects are frequently reservoirs of infestations .
larval forms can cause considerable damage to keratin - containing products such as wool , fur , leather , silk and dried animal remains . occasionally , food products of plant origin , such as cereals and fibres , will also be attacked . damage takes the form of clean , irregular holes and in textiles these generally occur around seams . there is no webbing or excrement present and by the time larvae and observed , considerable damage has often been done . because of the large number of larval moults , when cast larval skins are seen they tend to exaggerate the extent of the infestation . carpet beetles are of limited significance as a health hazard , although they are potential vectors of anthrax . in certain situations the larval hairs cause skin irritation to those exposed to large number of the insects .
the wandering habits of these insects means that they frequently infest wide areas , making them difficult to control . assessment of infestations the first step in carpet beetle control is to trace the source of infestation . this may be an old nest , animal remains , wool - based lagging , sound - proofing , wool - based furnishings or the debris that accumulates between and around floorboards . a ) hygiene / management all sources of infestation should be removed and burnt if possible . routine surveillance and regular cleaning are also important . b ) insecticidal control thorough surface spray treatments with residual activity are vital where infestations are extensive in order to ensure that all larvae are killed . care should be taken when treating carpets and other valuable furnishings .
bayer has an extensive range of products specifically formulated for the control of flying and crawling insect pests . further information on all bayer environmental science professional pest control products is available from : bayer environmental science durkan house , 214 - 224 high street , waltham cross , hertfordshire en8 7dp . tel : 01992 784264 fax : 01992 784276 the greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this guide . in no circumstance , however , will bayer environmental science be liable in respect of any error or omission . © copyright of bayer 2007 - all rights reserved .
use biocides safely . always read the label and product information before use . © copyright bayer 2012 - all rights reserved
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three subfamilies ( trinodinae , thylodriadinae and thorictinae ) have a single british representative each . the 3mm , pubescent trinodes hirtus ( fabricius ) is widespread in association with woodland , where it is thought to feed on dead insects from spiders’ larders beneath bark or in bark crevices . the rare synanthropic species thylodrias contractus motschulsky , the odd beetle , is highly sexually dimorphic , with a large ( 2 - 5mm ) larviform female and a smaller ( 2 - 3mm ) winged male which strongly resembles a cantharid . thorictides heydeni reitter is another rarely - imported species . 1 - 2mm in length , it is an elongate red - brown species found on stored animal and vegetable products .
the carpet beetles , attageninae , have seven british representatives , but only one of these ( attagenus pellis ( l . ) ) does not occur mainly as an adventive . larvae can be pests on foodstuffs and natural fibres , particularly wool and fur , but are also found in the nests of birds and bees .
dermestinae is a subfamily of 10 medium - sized ( 5 - 12mm ) beetles in britain , many of which can be found indoors . elongate , parallel - sided beetles , often drab browns and greys in colour , they feed on a wide variety of protein - rich foods , including carrion , leather , bones , horn , and other detritus indicative of late - stage decay . when searching for pupation sites larvae can bore through a variety of substances , including lead , wood and books and thus can cause damage in domestic situations
there are 11 species of megatominae in britain , many of which are infrequent introductions ( trogoderma spp . , reesa vespulae ( milliron ) , orphinus fulvipes ( guerin - meneville ) and anthrenocerus australis ( hope ) ) . some species are found in the wild and ctesias serra ( fabricius ) is widespread beneath old oak bark during the summer .
this beetle in larval form is common in houses where it usually does little or no noticeable harm , but it is a feared pest in natural history museums , where it can seriously damage biological specimens . while adults are pollen grazers , larvae feed on natural fibers and can damage carpets , furniture , clothing and insect collections . as the beetles are extremely common in gardens in the summer it is impossible to eradicate them completely from a normal home . regular vacuuming will keep their numbers down .
the larval form is known as a woolly bear , a name it shares with the larvae of arctia caja and many other moths of the family arctiidae .
range from 1 . 7 to 3 . 5 mm ( 0 . 07 to 0 . 14 in ) in length . the body is rounded , almost spherical . elytra and pronotum have an irregular pattern of white , brownish and yellowish patches formed by scales of different colours . whitish scales are condensed along the lateral margins of the
, where they form three bright , wavy transversal bands . in addition , their antennae are 11 - segmented with a club of 3 segments .
are roughly 4–5 millimetres ( 0 . 16–0 . 20 in ) in length . the larvae are elongate and densely hairy . the body is covered in a pattern of alternating light and dark - brown stripes . the body is usually wider at the back than at the front and also bears 3 pairs of hair tufts along its rear abdomen that can be used for self - defense .
this species is present in most of europe , in east palearctic ecozone , in the near east , in the nearctic ecozone and in north africa .
has an unusual life cycle for an insect , developing from larvae to adult in 1–3 years , depending on the environmental conditions .
) prior to pupation into the adult stage . the length of the dormancy appears to depend on environmental factors , with the most likely
adults emerge between late may and early august , flying to and feeding on the pollen and nectar of flowering plants .
the life expectancy of the beetle is about two weeks . during this period , mating occurs and the eggs are laid , either close to the human environs or in bird nests , tree hollows and similar , dry places where larvae can find their food . then the cycle begins anew .
for a paralyzing blow to the thorax . in response , the larva will erect long hairs on their abdomen and attempt to brush these hairs against the encroaching wasp . the hairs detach and stick to the wasp on contact , presumably causing some sort of irritation . evidently , such irritation is not enough to deter an attack on
larvae , as the vast majority of attacks are successful . such a defense , however , has been shown to be effective for the closely related species
after a single successful sting , the beetle is permanently paralyzed . the entire process from landing to complete paralysis lasts approximately 40 seconds .
does not lay eggs immediately after the beetle is paralyzed , waiting as long as 24 hours before oviposition . during this time , she grooms herself , removing any hairs that might have stuck to her during the attack . during this lengthy process she appears to monitor the larva’s state of paralysis by repeatedly biting it and monitoring its reaction . once sufficiently clear of hairs , the wasp creates a bare patch on the larva’s abdomen and lays 2–4 eggs . eggs hatch in 3–4 days and the larvae feed on the beetle for 3–7 days , eventually killing the host . they then spin cocoons near the empty shell of the host , emerging some time later as an adult wasp .
are a common household pest . adult beetles usually lay their eggs in air ducts , in closets , under furniture , or under baseboards .
once hatched and until they pupate into adults , the larvae hide in dark , undisturbed areas and feed on organic material . the larvae are thus responsible for the damage of various items , such as furniture , clothing , blankets , furs , and carpets . they are commonly found in musical instruments which have been stored for lengthy periods of time , feeding on pads and felts most commonly found in woodwind instruments . collections of specimens , especially of insects , are also vulnerable to attack , making
balls in closets , and removing abandoned bird and insect nests attached to the building .
signs of an infestation include the presence of damaged articles , molted larval skins in dark areas , and an abundance of adult beetles near windows .
susceptible people may also find that shed hairs from the larvae cause irritated itchy welts that may be confused with bedbug bites .
keven o ' neill . solitary wasps : behavior and natural history . cornell university press . pp . 25–26 . isbn 0 - 8014 - 3721 - 0 .
jan - erik bergh , lise stengård hansen , karl - martin vagn jensen & per væggemose nielsen ( 2003 ) .
the effect of anoxic treatment on the larvae of six species of dermestids ( coleoptera )
. journal of applied entomology 127 ( 6 ) : 317–321 . doi : 10 . 1046 / j . 1439 - 0418 . 2003 . 00751 . x .
t . j . k . strang ( 1992 ) .
a review of published temperatures for the control of pest insects in museums
. collection forum ( society for the preservation of natural history collections ) 8 ( 2 ) : 41–67 .
yan wong changed the thumbnail image of
dorsal surface - close - up of scales
.


the australasian darter or australian darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) is a species of bird in the darter family , anhingidae .

it is found in australia , indonesia , and papua new guinea .

it weighs around 2.6 kg and spans 86 – 94 cm ( 34 – 37 in ) in length .

australasian darter

the australasian darter was previously considered to be conspecific with the oriental darter , anhinga melanogaster .
lateral view of a female australasian darter ( photo courtesy of c . hayne )
australian bush birds , identification . australasian darter , cormorants - page 1 of 2
australian bush birds , identification . australasian darter , cormorants - page 2 of 2
australasian darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) occurrence records from continental australia suitable for species distribution modelling .
male australasian darter spreading its wings . . . [ narrabri lake , nsw , february 2008 ]
an australasian darter holds a good size catch in its bill . the darter tossed the fish to turn it around and swallowed it head first .
australasian darter at the airport beach , croker island , arafura sea , northern territory , australia . an immature bird .
in the area of narrabri , nsw , australasian darters are common and widespread and we have spotted australasian darters in various types of wetlands since 2005 .
close - up lateral view of an immature australasian darter ( photo courtesy of m . mearns ) [ kingaroy , qld , october 2015 ]
male australasian darter on its nest ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ lake broadwater , near dalby , qld , january 2018 ]
immature australasian darter drying its feathers ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ brisbane river , brisbane , qld , june 2006 ]
the incomplete plumage on this australasian darter ' s wings indicates that it is a juvenile drying its feathers ( photo courtesy of s . kirkby )
two tall australasian darter chicks in their nest ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ centennial park , sydney , nsw , may 2018 ]
three tall australasian darter chicks in their nest ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ centennial park , sydney , nsw , june 2017 ]
four tall australasian darter chicks in their nest ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ centennial park , sydney , nsw , may 2018 ]
on a separate page we have lined up a series of shots of a australasian darter turning around and swallowing a fish spiked on its bill .
like other darter species , the australian darter swims so low in the water that sometimes only its head and upper neck are visible .
the australian darter is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the oriental darter ( anhinga melanogaster ) ( 2 ) ( 5 ) .
. australasian darters populate parts of australia , papua new guinea and eastern indonesia .
australasian darters feed exclusively on fish ( see photo above and this page ) .
did you know ? australasian darters can travel more than 2000 km when not breeding .
lateral view of a male australasian darter ( photo courtesy of j . greaves ) [ banks of the murchison river , near ajana , wa , may 2018 ]
dorsal view of a male australasian darter drying its plumage ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ robina , gold coast , qld , may 2015 ]
s . kirkby reports spotting australasian darters near kakadu np , nt , in june 2011 .
vanderwal , j . ( 2013 ) . australasian darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) - current and future species distribution models . centre for tropical biodiversity & climate change , james cook university . [ data files ] urltoken darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) / suitability
vanderwal , j . ( 2013 ) . australasian darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) - occurrence records filtered for species distribution modelling . centre for tropical biodiversity & climate change , james cook university . [ data files ] urltoken darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) / occurrences
there are currently no known conservation measures in place specifically for the australian darter .
a young male darter . unlike females the underside of its neck is black .
close - up lateral portrait of a male australasian darter in eastern australia ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ eastlakes golf course , sydney , nsw , december 2013 ]
the australasian darter anhinga n ovaehollandiae or snake bird is a species that is relatively uncommon in the goulburn district . it is also particularly interesting for a number of good reasons .
close - up frontal view of a female australasian darter drying its plumage ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ urunga board walk , urunga heads , nsw , july 2017 ]
this view of a male australasian darter shows clearly its completely webbed feet ( photo courtesy of j . ross - taylor ) [ highland park , gold coast , qld , september 2014 ]
close - up lateral portrait of a male australasian darter in western australia ( photo courtesy of j . greaves ) [ banks of the murchison river , near ajana , wa , may 2018 ]
dorsal view of a male australasian darter in flight ; different phase of the wing beat ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ eastlakes golf course , sydney , nsw , december 2013 ]
female australasian darter on its nest in a dead tree standing in water ( photo courtesy of m . mearns ) [ paradise dam , burnett river , near gayndah , qld , april 2016 ]
dorsal view of a male australasian darter in flight ; note the rufous streaking on the wing coverts ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ eastlakes golf course , sydney , nsw , december 2013 ]
they are closely related to the north american anhingas ( anhinga anhinga ) , african darter ( anhinga rufa ) , and are a subspecies of the oriental or indian darter ( anhinga melanogster ) .
range : australian darter is found in australia , indonesia , new zealand and papua new guinea .
when excited , e . g . when wary of a human observer , male australasian darters will display their hackles .
feeding : the australasian darter eats fishes and some insects and plants . it dives into water to catch a fish . it pierces the fish from underneath , flicks it onto the water surface and swallows it head first .
the female australian darter lays between two and six eggs in a platform nest built of sticks and reeds .
the australian darter is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
fledgling australasian darter - note the grownth of the wing feathers in comparison with photos taken 2 weeks earlier , in may 2018 , shown below ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ centennial park , sydney , nsw , june 2018 ]
drying its feathers by the water’s edge the australasian darter can cut a decidedly prehistoric figure . with its large webbed feet and dagger - like bill , the darter is an accomplished diver and spearfisher . after their diving sessions they can often be found like this , perched near the water drying its wings . this has led to some misunderstandings over the years .
this dataset consists of current and future species distribution models generated using 4 representative concentration pathways ( rcps ) carbon emission scenarios , 18 global climate models ( gcms ) , and 8 time steps between 2015 and 2085 , for australasian darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) .
the adult male australian darter has glossy dark brown upperparts , which are accentuated by silvery feather fringes and ornamental feathers .
the australasian darters ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) are also known as australian darters or snakebird darters - so named for their long , curved necks that look like winding snakes moving on the surface of the water while the rest of the darter ' s body is submerged while swimming .
hunting under water , australasian darters are one of the bird species that can regularly be seen drying their plumage sitting on a perch in bright sunlight .
this immature darter reminded me of a porcelain statue . as if he had been sculpted to sit on that piece of wood .
this dataset includes observations of australasian darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) that are sourced from the atlas of living australia ( ala ) database . rather than raw observations , these have been filtered such that they are assumed to be suitable for species distribution modelling exercises . the cleaning process included :
frequently spotted perching on branches overhanging the water , the australian darter often rests with its wings held open , whereas when it is soaring high in flight it tends to fan out its tail . this species flies with shallow , rapid wing beats . like other darter species , the australian darter swims so low in the water that sometimes only its head and upper neck are exposed ( 4 ) .
while the australian darter usually feeds on fish , it is also known to take amphibians , snakes and aquatic invertebrates , including insects .
diet : australian darter feeds mainly on fish , but it also consumes insects and aquatic animals such as tortoises , and some vegetation .
australasian darters and little pied cormorants drying their plumage ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ sandy camp road wetlands , brisbane , qld , september 2017 ]
australasian darters spike their prey , rather than grabbing it like herons or egrets . they then thrust the prey upward and maneuvre it into the slender bill by turning it .
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j . greaves reports spotting australasian darters in manjimup , wa , in march 2015 and on the banks of the murchison river , near ajana , wa , in may 2018 .
australasian darters are big , slender aquatic birds with long necks and long tails . they are dimorphic , i . e . males and females have different plumages . male australasian darters have black bodies and tails , and a dark - chestnut throat . a white eye stripe extends partway down the neck . the wing plumage is scalloped black - and - white . female australasian darters have a creamy front , creamy - brown back and scalloped black - and - white wings . the tail is black . the underwing plumage of both sexes is black , the bills yellow , and the legs and webbed feet are skin - pink . immature and juvenile australasian darters resemble females , but their backs are the same creamy colour as the front .
towards the southern end of their range , australasian darters have been reported to us , e . g . , by r . plumtree in east gippsland , vic , in may 2015 .
distribution and habitat : australasian darters are found in eastern , northern and western australia . they live near ponds , swamps and lakes that have branches and stumps for resting and drying wings .
like other darter species , the australian darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) looks very much like a cormorant in terms of its overall shape ( 3 ) , although its neck is longer and more slender ( 3 ) ( 4 ) . darters tend to carry their necks in a characteristic kinked , ‘z’ shape posture ( 3 ) ( 4 ) , and have long tails and short legs ending in elongated webbed toes . interestingly , each mandible of the darter’s long , stiletto - like bill has a cutting edge ( 3 ) .
australasian darters are found mostly in fresh water aquatic habitats , such as rivers and creeks , lakes and swamps . they can also be sighted in estuarine habitats , but hardly ever in pure ( marine ) salt water .
the darter ' s slender body , long , snake - like neck and its pointed , rather than hooked , bill distinguishes it readily from the bulkier cormorants with which it is often found .
flight : australian darter flies gracefully , soaring at great heights on thermals , and gliding into the air . it can move over long distances , up to 2000 km , outside of breeding season .
example of australasian darters nesting in a loose colony with other species , in this case little pied cormorants ( photo courtesy of d . albertson , ltim gwydir wetlands ) [ gwydir wetlands , 50 km west of moree , nsw , february 2015 ]
description : australian darter , as other darters , is also named “snake - bird” , due to its long , thin neck , giving it a snake - like appearance when swimming into water with submerged body .
voice : sounds by xeno - canto australian darter is usually silent . when at nest , male utters varied sounds such as caws , hisses and clicks . away from the nest , it utters clicking sounds .
del hoyo , j . , collar , n . & garcia , e . f . j . ( 2018 ) . australasian darter ( anhinga novaehollandiae ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
the australian darter has a moderately large population covering an extremely large range ( 5 ) , and it is not currently considered to be globally threatened ( 2 ) . however , despite being widespread and common throughout much of australia ( 2 ) , it is thought that the australian darter’s population fluctuates along with changes in its wetland habitat ( 5 ) , and habitat destruction and pollution have been identified as possible key threats to this species ( 2 ) .
in australia , the darter is found from adelaide , south australia , to tennant creek , northern territory and then to broome , western australia . it is also found in south - western australia , from perth to esperance . worldwide , it has been thought of as one of two main anhinga species ( the other , a . anhinga , is found in north america ) , found in the southern half of africa , madagascar , iraq , pakistan , india , south - east asia , indonesia and new guinea . however , a . melanogaster is now considered to be further divided into three species , with rufa being found in africa , melanogaster in south asia and novaehollandiae in new guinea and australia ( the australasian darter ) .
behaviour : australian darter , as other darters , is often seen perched on branch or stumps above water , drying its open wings . it swims with submerged body , with only head and neck visible above water , as a snake .
the duck is completely enveloped in an impervious cocoon of feathers , allowing water to literally roll off its back . the darter’s feathers let a bit of water penetrate just below the surface to reduce its buoyancy and allow it to dive with less effort . when we see the darter drying its feathers it is really just letting that water drain from the outer layer to get it back to a more manageable flight weight – the skin beneath its feathers will still be bone dry .
in addition , we have seen australasian darters in various places around australia , such as wetlands in the top end of the nt , and on the greenough river near geraldton , wa . they have also been found by us , and reported by various contributors , from coastal areas in qld .
breeding : australasian darters breed when there is plenty of water and food . the female builds a nest platform in the fork of a tree standing in water . the female lays 2 – 6 eggs . the chicks hatch after 28 days . they swim soon after hatching and fly after about 50 days .
because of its long and slender neck , the australasian darter is sometimes called the snakebird . usually inhabiting freshwater wetlands , darters swim with their bodies submerged beneath the water’s surface , with only the sinuous neck protruding above the water , enhancing its serpentine qualities . darters forage by diving to depths of about 60 centimetres , and impaling fish with its sharp , spear - like beak . small fish are swallowed underwater , but larger ones are brought to the surface , where they are flicked off the bill ( sometimes into the air ) and then swallowed head - first .
many birds have evolved a fish eating diet and the darter is a prime example . but unlike other diving birds , the darter seems to have borrowed a few features from unrelated species and glued them together to make a unique organism . like grebes , it swims rapidly underwater for its food ; like cormorants it has feathers with low oil content to enable it to stay under longer ; like egrets and herons it has a long stabbing beak and a spring - jointed neck that , when triggered , enables it to stab fish at lightning speed .
usually seen singly or in loose groups on lakes ( 4 ) , the australian darter is a strong flier ( 3 ) , but is mainly a sedentary species ( 2 ) , only migrating sporadically in response to drought conditions and regional food shortages ( 2 ) ( 3 ) .
australasian darters inhabit basically the coastal fringe around australia , including the east coast of tasmania , and the northern tropics , plus roughly the eastern half of the continent . they are only rarely found in the southern half of the nt and not at all in the major deserts of wa and the western half of sa , including the nullarbor .
although the australian darter’s prey preferences change depending on the location , this species’ diet is known to comprise mostly fish , which are not chased but are instead speared directly underwater . amphibians , water snakes , terrapins and aquatic invertebrates such as insects and crustaceans are also known to be taken ( 2 ) .
breeding in darter species is known to be seasonal in some parts of their range , and occurs at any time of year in others . the australian darter tends to be a colonial breeder , often being seen in the company of cormorants and other wading birds . its nest is often placed about two metres above the water and consists of a platform of sticks and reeds , into which the female lays between two and six eggs , although three to five is most common . the eggs are incubated for between 26 and 30 days , after which time the naked chicks hatch . the chicks grow whitish down , and are capable of flight approximately seven weeks after hatching . it is thought that the australian darter does not reach sexual maturity until it is at least two years old , and individuals of this species have been known to live for more than nine years in the wild , and even longer in captivity ( 2 ) .
the adult male australian darter has glossy , dark brown upperparts , which are accentuated by silvery plumes and by silvery fringes on the wing feathers , and a fine white stripe on the face . greyer upperparts and white underparts with a buffy hue to the neck distinguish the female australian darter from the male . the female also has narrow white and black stripes on the face , while juvenile australian darters are much like the female but paler ( 4 ) . in the juvenile birds , the black and white parts are usually replaced by brown and buff ( 2 ) , and these young individuals are often less obviously marked than the adults ( 4 ) .
the darter is found in wetlands and sheltered coastal waters , mainly in the tropics and subtropics . it prefers smooth , open waters , for feeding , with tree trunks , branches , stumps or posts fringing the water , for resting and drying its wings . most often seen inland , around permanent and temporary water bodies at least half a metre deep , but may be seen in calm seas near shore , fishing . the darter is not affected by salinity or murky waters , but does require waters with sparse vegetation that allow it to swim and dive easily . it builds its nests in trees standing in water , and will move to deeper waters if the waters begin to dry up .
habitat : australian darter lives in wetlands and sheltered bays . it favours fresh , open waters with tree trunks , stumps or branches just at water level , for resting and drying its wings . it is often seen inland , near water , but it is also seen fishing in quiet areas , near the shores . but its preferred habitat is subtropical and tropical mangroves .
the australian darter is found mainly in australia and new guinea ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 4 ) ( 5 ) ( 6 ) , but it has also been reported to occur in timor - leste ( 5 ) , the lesser sunda islands and the southern moluccas ( 6 ) . this species has been recorded as a vagrant in new zealand ( 5 ) .
australasian darters are most easily found while drying their plumage with extended wings , sitting on ( often dead ) branches near water or overhanging water . since they often hunt in standing water near tree - lined edges , they tend to be found sitting in trees around permanent waterholes in rivers and creeks and lakes . while hunting in the water , they have a snake - like appearance , lying low in the water with their prominent long , thin necks .
australian darter feeds in fresh , open waters with sparse vegetation , in order to dive and swim easily . it feeds on aquatic animals , catching them with its sharp semi - open bill , and diving deeper than 60 cm . prey is pierced from below , flicked onto the surface , and swallowed head first . it may eat smaller items underwater , but larger preys are carried to a perch .
the australian darter frequents still , shallow inland waters ( 2 ) , including lakes , swamps , lagoons , reservoirs and slow - flowing rivers ( 2 ) ( 6 ) , and requires its habitat to include scattered emergent trees , forested margins or , on islets , dense vegetation cover ( 2 ) . this species also occurs in estuaries ( 2 ) ( 6 ) , tidal inlets and coastal zones associated with mangroves ( 2 ) .
reproduction : australian darters form pairs only for breeding , when water levels and food resources are correct . usually , this species breeds in spring and summer . australian darter nests in solitary or in small colonies with other aquatic bird species nesting in trees . male prepares the nest - site with green leafy sticks , and performs some displays , in order to attract a female . displays consist in wing - waving and twig - grasping movements .
the darter is a large , slim water bird with a long snake - like neck , sharp pointed bill , and long , rounded tail . male birds are dark brownish black with glossy black upperwings , streaked and spotted white , silver - grey and brown . the strongly kinked neck has a white or pale brown stripe from the bill to where the neck kinks and the breast is chestnut brown . females and immatures are grey - brown above , pale grey to white below , with a white neck stripe that is less distinct in young birds . the darter is often seen swimming with only the snake - like neck visible above the water , or drying its wings while perched on a tree or stump over water . while its gait is clumsy on land , it can soar gracefully to great heights on thermals , gliding from updraft to updraft . it has a cross - shaped silhouette when flying .
the darter catches fish with its sharp bill partly open while diving in water deeper than 60 cm . the fish is pierced from underneath , flicked onto the water ' s surface and then swallowed head first . smaller items are eaten underwater and large items may be carried to a convenient perch and then swallowed . insects and other aquatic animals , including tortoises , may also be eaten , as well as some vegetable matter . in hot weather , adult birds may pour water from their bills into the gullets of their young chicks when they are still in the nest .
like cormorants , darters’ low oil feathers get soaked after a while in the water . this weighs them down and can stop them flying away if they need to . as a result , as soon as darters get out of the water they hang themselves out to dry by holding their wings out from their body in the sun ( if it is a sunny day ) . when not drying themselves , darters tend to sit still in an upright , slim posture that probably helps them stay unnoticed by predators . in the goulburn wetlands a male darter was seen to lean forwards , lift its wings and hold that posture for several minutes . whether it was an odd form of feather drying or a specific display is not clear . there were no other darters or apparent threats in the vicinity at the time .
the darter is usually a solitary bird , forming pairs only while breeding . breeding is erratic , happening whenever water levels and food supplies are suitable , but most often occurs in spring and summer . nests are usually solitary , but darters may nest within loose colonies with other water birds that nest in trees , such as cormorants , spoonbills and ibis . the male decorates a nest - site with green leafy twigs and displays to attract a mate , with elaborate wing - waving and twig - grasping movements . the male carries most of the nest material to the nest - site , which is normally in the fork of a tree standing in water , usually about 3 . 5 m above the water ' s surface . both sexes complete the nest , incubate the eggs and raise the young . chicks are kept warm by brooding continously ( or cooled down by shading with spread wings ) for up to a week after hatching and both adults stay in the nest with the chicks overnight . in hot weather , the adults will even shake water over the chicks after a swim . chicks can swim after about four weeks in the nest and start to fly at about 50 days .
pt . 12 - 15 ( 1844 - 1847 ) - proceedings of the zoological society of london . - biodiversity heritage library
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christidis , l . and boles , w . e . 2008 . systematics and taxonomy of australian birds . csiro publishing , collingwood , australia .
justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be fluctuating , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size may be moderately small to large , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
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nick talbot , pieter de groot boersma , geoffrey dabb , keith and lynn youngs , stephen wallace , mkennewell , philip griffin , eldert groenewoud , bob humphries and sally robinson , josep del hoyo , robert schaefer , colintrainor , keith blomerley .
colintrainor , mark broomhall , nicholas tomney , nick talbot , rob . robinson , lindsay hansch , arthur grosset , bob thompson , georges olioso , les george , margaret leggoe , cel _ polo , rhonda hansch , ian colley , hal and kirsten snyder , david taylor , markus lilje , guy poisson , frédéric pelsy , gustavo a . rodríguez , wendy kenworthy , peter strauss , samantha klein , ian barker , holger teichmann , josep del hoyo , ken havard , paul van giersbergen , marianhw , amhpanther , fran trabalon , brian huggett , rémi bigonneau , indra bone , becky1950 , andrew _ allen , bruce ramsay .
often considered conspecific with a . rufa and a . melanogaster , but ( as indicated in recent morphological study # r ) has smallest size ( bill 74 . 9 vs 80 in rufa and 82 . 8 in melanogaster ; at least 1 ) , although tarsus longer ( 48 vs 44 . 8 and 43 . 3 , respectively ; at least 1 ) ( 2 ) ; much broader and shorter white facial stripe , with distinct oval white submoustachial patch ( 3 ) ; much greater sexual dimorphism , female with white belly ( 3 ) ; mid - yellow vs rich yellow ( melanogaster ) gular area on breeding male ( 1 ) . two subspecies recognized .
what do ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) mean ? learn more about the scoring system .
( gould , 1847 ) – australia ( except arid interior ) ; possibly this race on timor .
85–97 cm ; 1058–1815 g ; wingspan 116–128 cm ; bill 71–87 mm . scapulars elongated and lanceolate ; bare part colours variable . juvenile similar to female , but white and black . . .
rather silent . alarm call is a metallic clicking . also has a brassy clanging call .
mainly still , shallow inland waters , such as freshwater or alkaline lakes , slow flowing rivers , . . .
mainly fish , including plotosidae ( australia ) ; prey species vary with locality . also takes amphibians , water snakes , terrapins and aquatic . . .
seasonal in some areas , at any time of year in others . usually colonial , often with cormorants or ciconiiformes . nest is platform of sticks . . .
not globally threatened ( least concern ) . wetlands international estimate the population to be within the range of 10 , 000–100 , 000 birds . widespread and common throughout much . . .
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crustaceans diverse group of animals with jointed limbs and a hard external skeleton , characterised by the possession of two pairs of antennae , one pair of mandibles ( mouthparts used for handling and processing food ) and two pairs of maxillae ( appendages used in eating , which are located behind the mandibles ) . includes crabs , lobsters , shrimps , woodlice and barnacles . incubation the act of incubating eggs ; that is , keeping them warm so that development is possible . invertebrates animals with no backbone , such as insects , crustaceans , worms , molluscs , spiders , cnidarians ( jellyfish , corals , sea anemones ) and echinoderms . mandible in birds , the lower jaw and beak , but the term is also used to denote the two parts of the beak . plume an ornamental feather that is usually long and conspicuous , and is used by a bird for display . subspecies a population usually restricted to a geographical area that differs from other populations of the same species , but not to the extent of being classified as a separate species . vagrant an individual found outside the normal range of the species .
del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . and sargatal , j . ( 1992 ) handbook of the birds of the world . volume 1 : ostrich to ducks . lynx edicions , barcelona .
burton , m . and burton , r . ( 2002 ) international wildlife encyclopedia . marshall cavendish , singapore .
dutson , g . ( 2012 ) birds of melanesia : bismarcks , solomons , vanuatu , and new caledonia . a & c black publishers , london .
sibley , c . g . and monroe jr , b . ( 1991 ) distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world . yale university press , connecticut .
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this species is found in barrow island . visit our barrow island topic page to find out more .
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recorded at campsite twelve mile lagoon , lakefield np . the bird was flushed , started calling and flew away along the river .
sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .
if you have images for this taxon that you would like to share with atlas of living australia , please upload using the upload tools .
mathews , g . m . 1912 ,
additions and corrections to my reference list to the birds of australia
, austral avian records , vol . 1 , pp . 73 - 80
gould , j . 1847 ,
on eight species of australian birds ; and on anthus minimus vig . and hors . , as the type of a new genus chthonicola gould
, proceedings of the zoological society of london , vol . 1847 , pp . 31 - 35
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : abae8247 - 3fd6 - 4ef0 - 92ed - b1d18ef9e8b8
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : da8e2ea0 - 44a8 - 46a5 - 9fa4 - c5b286e12417
urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . name : 420369
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this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be fluctuating , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size may be moderately small to large , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .
recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : anhinga novaehollandiae . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .
all ranks domain kingdom subkingdom phylum subphylum superclass class subclass infraclass superorder order suborder infraorder superfamily family subfamily tribe subtribe genus subgenus species subspecies variety group ( polytypic ) group ( monotypic ) species split life sp . ssp . intra - specific hybrid interspecific hybrid intergeneric hybrid species pair
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the overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to urltoken .
during the 2000 - 2010 drought they were few and far between , but since then their numbers have increased and they can now be seen regularly on most inland waters , including e . g . narrabri lake .
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darters have erratic breeding habits . given the right conditions , they can in principle breed any time of year , with a preference for the timeframe aug - dec in the southern part of the continent and feb - apr in the tropical north . especially inland the breeding cycle will adapt to local water levels .
for this species we have recorded the following call ( s ) / song . the interpretation of their meaning is our own ; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome .
these pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors . the structure of these bird pages is explained here . for more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide .
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myavibase allows you to create and manage your own lifelists , and produce useful reports to help you plan your next birding excursion .
there are more than 12 , 000 regional checklists in avibase , offered in 9 different taxonomies , including synonyms more than 175 languages . each checklist can be viewed with photos shared by the birding community , and also printed as pdf checklists for field use .
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howard and moore 4th edition ( incl . corrigenda vol . 1 - 2 ) :
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when i was younger i was often told that darters , and the related diving birds the cormorants , lacked oil in their feathers that give the famed resistance to water of other waterfowl like ducks . more recently , we have come to understand that this is untrue . the darters and cormorants still preen their feathers with oil from the uropygial gland on their back , just above the tail . this oil preserves the feathers’ insulating properties and maintains their condition for flying . the reduced buoyancy in these diving birds is actually a result of the physical structure of the outer feathers . they are subtly different , at a microscopic scale , to the feathers on a duck .
the field nats had their quarterly wader count on sunday and picked up a huge variety of water birds at the sewage ponds including a single black - tailed godwit . later in the week , a single pelican flew in for a brief stay at the ponds .
grip v . 1 [ 1960s + ] in birding parlance , to alert a birder to the fact that you ' ve seen a bird that they have not . also ; grip off , gripping , schadenfreude . 2 n . [ early 21c ] the blog of christopher watson .
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the red kangaroo in central australia : an early account by a . e . newsome
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darters spread their wings and tail underwater to lure fish into the shade underneath , before spearing them with their sharp bill .
usually quiet ; away from nest , makes clicking sounds , at nest , makes variety of caws , hisses and clicks .
darters can move over long distances ( over 2000 km ) when not breeding , but populations tend to contract to breeding areas during summer .
although the deep , open water bodies that darters favour suffer less from drainage than other wetland types , darters are still threatened by increased salinity , clearing , grazing , increased fire frequency and extraction of groundwater . because darters often feed on introduced fish species such as carp and redfin perch , they may be adversely affected by attempts to reduce numbers of these fish species . darters are also often casualties of duck - shooting , with birds being shot or disturbed from their nests and losing their eggs to ravens . adults may also drown if trapped in fishing nets .