Tweedledum beetles?!

These guys are the Tweedledums and Tweedledees of the beetle world! They sound like wind-up toys and buzz loudly whenever held or touched. So funny!

You can view a short video of one we caught, here.

In broad scientific terms, they belong to the family Bolboceratidae and are described as "scarab-like". There are 167 species within the family group, so more detailed identification is beyond the scope of my insect book.

Since the rain, we've noticed quite a few large holes along the concrete verandah slab. It seems they are the work of these beetles.

"They are strong burrowers, making brood burrows up to several metres deep into which they deposit fungi, leaf litter, and occasionally dung, as food for larvae." 

Curiouser and curiouser?!