http://thecomingcrisis.blogspot.com/2011/03/beetle-plague-takes-over-surfers.html
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/226398-Australia-Man-injured-as-beetles-swarm-Gold-Coast
(above link has video clips)
THE PLAGUE IS NOT JUST MADE OF OF WATER BEETLES BUT IS A MIX OF INSECTS
Saturday, March 26, 2011
A Beetle Plague takes over Surfers Paradise, Australia - 24th Mar 2011
The water beetle invasion captured on amateur youtube footage shows the large black beetles swarming around lights and dropping to the footpath on The Esplanade last night.
Griffith University entomologist Professor Clyde Wild said he had no definitive explanation for the rare phenomenon.
''I've never seen swarms of these like this before, why they are at the beach front escapes any explanation I can think of,'' Prof Wild said.''You might see two or three on any given night - this is literally thousands.
''They haven't come out of the sea, they live in fresh water and live on larvae, or eating other insects.''
Prof Wild said he would be less surprised if the invasion had occurred in areas that had recently flooded.
''If there was masses of flowing water, a lot of habitat, it would make more sense.
''But it hasn't been that wet on the Gold Coast so it's a very curious phenomenon.