a green mānuka beetle (Pyronota festiva).
Rights: Steve Kerr, CC BY 4.0 Published 3 November 2019 Size: 270 KB Referencing Hub media

Māori name: kēkerewai, repowai

Family: Scarabaeidae

This beetle is an example of the Coleoptera order of insects. In the course of its life, this beetle feeds on a range of plants although it’s frequently found on or near mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium), hence its name. Mānuka beetles spend a year as larvae living in the ground feeding on the roots of plants like ryegrass and clover, which means they are sometimes considered a pest species.

Image sourced from iNaturalistNZ, © Steve Kerr, CC BY 4.0

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