This is a very distinctive Belid weevil due to its strong colouration. It is part of the Lycid Beetle batesian mimicry ring. The Lycid beetle has noxious chemical defense and hence predators are unlikely to attempt to eat insects with this colour pattern. This weevil has been investigated and it has no chemical defenses of its own (Moore and Brown, 1989). Rhinotia haemoptera is distributed from SE Queensland, down to Tasmania and across to South Australia in dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands. Hawkeswood et al. (1994) commented that the beetle is uncommon to rare throughout its range, but we have found a significant number in a small area at the Tasmanian Bushland Garden.
Adults feed on the leaves and branchlets of predominantly Acacia species.
Rhinotia haemoptera
Late December 2011
Knocklofty Reserve, Hobart
Identification thanks to Boris Büche.
Adults feed on the leaves and branchlets of predominantly Acacia species.
Rhinotia haemoptera
Late December 2011
Knocklofty Reserve, Hobart
Identification thanks to Boris Büche.
Late October 2014
Tasmanian Bushland Garden, Buckland
About 20 of these weevils were seen in the varied Acacia species of the gardens.
Individual 1 on Acacia mucronata
Late October 2014
Tasmanian Bushland Garden, Buckland
Individual 2
Late October 2014
Tasmanian Bushland Garden, Buckland
Individual 3
. 
Mid December 2016
Peter Murell Reserve, Blackmans Bay.
On Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)
Early October 2018
Buckland Native Gardens
Mid December 2020
Knocklofty Reserve, Hobart/nipaluna
References
Hawkeswood, T.J., Turner J.R., Lebreton M.. (1994). The biology and host plants of the Australian weevil Rhinotia haemoptera (Kirby) (Insecta, Coleoptera, Belidae). Spixiana. 17 (1), 237-245.
Moore, B.P & W.V. Brown (1989). Graded level of chemical defense in mimics of lycid beetles genus Metriorrhynchus (Coleoptera) J. Sudt. Cnt. Soc. 28:229-233