BEETLE "BLITZ"

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 38, 14 February 1941, Page 8

BEETLE "BLITZ"

PLAGUE HITS TOWN

WOMEN IN SWIMSUITS

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

SYDNEY, January 29,

Millions of beetles staged a remarkable blitzkrieg at Coonamble, in western New South Wales. Apparently they were washed close to the town from nearby marshes, where they breed, by the recent floods. ,

Descending suddenly on the town, they completely obscured street lights, and covered streets and roofs with a living mass several; inches deep. Astounded residents gazed spellbound as the invasion commenced.

Women and girls were forced to discard their clothes to get. rid of the beetles, which wriggled through their dresses within a few seconds. The strange sight was then witnessed of the female populace of a western town treading their way through the wriggling masses in bathing costumes, the only clothing that prevented the beetles from wriggling through. Men tucked the ends of their trousers into their socks. »

Next morning the town presented a remarkable appearance. Its roads were covered with a layer of dead beetles, millions of which were removed for destruction. It took several hours to clear the beetles from the town's swimming pool. Countless beetles were still raining upon the roads and verandahs from trees for the next 48 hours. Even rafters and shelves inside the buildings were covered with layers of the dead insects, which were described as 'bright green in colour and as large as cockroaches."