Bug ID (forum)

Phil@Tyalgum starts with ...
My orange tree is covered with thousands of tiny orange beetles, flying around it and devastating the new growth and flowers. Adjacent lemon, lime, mandarin and grapefruit remain unaffected. Anyone like to hazard a guess as to what they are? Thanks.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 18th September 2011 9:45pm

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
Murwillumbah
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Violet_Cactus says...
Crikey, Phil, that's a lot of hungry beetles you have there! I'm wondering if it might be Aulacophora. Does the picture on this link look like your bug?
http://www.pestnet.org/SummariesofMessages/Pests/PestsEntities/Insects/Beetles/Aulacophora/AulacophoraspPNG.aspx

Time: 19th September 2011 8:30am

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About the Author VioletCactus1
 
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Hey thanks for the link, yes very similar in size I'd imagine.. instead of cucumbers this critter has a taste for my orange tree tho.. chews tracks through the surface of the leaf until it withers. Hope they leave as soon as they arrive!! ✈

Time: 19th September 2011 10:06am

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
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Kath says...
They are monolepta beetles
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/26_9830.htm

Time: 19th September 2011 2:19pm

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About the Author Kath
Cawongla
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Violet_Cactus says...
Well done, Kath! No known predators, eh?

Time: 19th September 2011 5:04pm

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Thanks for tracking 'em down Kath - looks like I'll be pruning off a lot of growth once they decide to move on ✄ ✄ ✄

Time: 20th September 2011 4:57am

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
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Tom says...
Hi Phil, take a look at this info from another Aussie forum about a possible way to fight your beetles. See Lyn Bagnall's reply to the question wherein she's found a way to drown a bunch of them. Cheers.

http://aussieslivingsimply.com.au/forum/vegetable-gardening/189756-monolepta

Time: 20th September 2011 8:14am

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About the Author Tom
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Thanks for the link Tom and good to see you. Yes we've never seen them before, they seem to zero in on a particular tree in a feeding frenzy. Have planted out some of your D. virginiana and they are doing well as well as P. caerulea. Cheers, Phil.

Time: 20th September 2011 5:10pm

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
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BJ says...
Can anyone ID this guy? Save or squish?

Time: 31st December 2011 1:21pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
Brisbane
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