Lasiopezus longimanus
While strolling around the grounds of Mantuma Rest Camp in the uMkhuze Game Reserve section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park earlier this month I came across this incredible creature, identified as one of the Flatface Longhorn Beetles with the kind assistance of the experts in the “Insects only – Southern Africa” Facebook group.
While it was impressively big (the body was about 4cm long), boasted very long feelers and its colours perfectly imitated a bird dropping, it was the hairy feet I found most intriguing. It is possible that the “hairs” has some sensory function, but from a distance it makes the beetle look as if it is wearing mittens!
Flatface Longhorn Beetle (Lasiopezus longimanus), identified with the kind assistance of the “Insects only – Southern Africa” facebook page.
Flatface Longhorn Beetle (Lasiopezus longimanus), identified with the kind assistance of the “Insects only – Southern Africa” facebook page.
Flatface Longhorn Beetle (Lasiopezus longimanus), identified with the kind assistance of the “Insects only – Southern Africa” facebook page.
DeWetsWild 
Pingback: iSimangaliso’s animals – great and small | DeWetsWild
Lang horings en lang bene … alles aan hierdie outjie is lank! En ek’s mal oor die ‘handskoentjies’ 😉.
Dit was nou die interessantse goggatjie wat ek in n lang tyd gesien het!
I’ve never seen anything like that, Dries! It’s like some space creature which is fortunately for us not enormous!!
Great minds thinking alike again, Janet! When I saw it for the first time – especially its head and face – I also thought that it looks just like one of those alien warlords seen on the sci-fi tv shows and films!
What an extraordinary creature! A bird’s dropping with boxing gloves. Something you don’t see every day for sure.
Definitely one of the most incredible animals I have seen in a very long time, Adele. I was thrilled!
Ek dink nie ek sou geweet het dis ñ besie nie! En jy het hom so mooi afgeneem, DeWet.
Baie dankie, Una. Die natuur om ons is darem so wonderlik!
Sjoe, dis omtrent ‘n gedierte!
Defnitief, Tannie Frannie! Ek is bly jy het nie gese dis n ONgedierte nie – hy is darem te interessant daarvoor!
How extraordinary isn’t this creature!
I was thrilled to see something I’ve never seen before, Ann-Christine, and for it to be so unique and interesting is a nice bonanza!
❤️
Well that’s unusual! incredible looking creature.
Just made me realised again that there’s so much more for me to see and learn about the world around us!
What a fantastic find – and beautifully photographed!
Thank you very much, Anne. I was thrilled with the sighting and excited when I saw the pictures came out as well as they did!
Interessante tor. Lyk nogal gevaarlik as mens hom so sien.
Ek dink dis maar net vir die “show”, Ineke. Die goggatjie was so mak soos n lammetjie terwyl ek hom van so naby af afgeneem het.