Pyronata festiva
These are very beautiful beetles with bright colours shining like jewels and with cute antennae
As the common name suggests, these beetles are associated with mānuka trees. The larvae eat mānuka roots while the beetles feed on the foliage. The larvae take about two years to reach the beetle stage. The larvae can also feed on roots of pasture grasses, so can be a pest. The beetles are shiny and come in different colours. The most common is green but more uncommonly they are bright pink or blue. They are usually 9 mm in length.
The beetles are eaten by mice, gulls and house sparrows. They are common throughout much of New Zealand.
Check these links for more info on the Mānuka Chafer Beetle in NZ
Wikipedia: Information on Pyronata festiva
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