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unknown beetle
Hello Bugman.
I have just discovered your site, and I love it! I’m a park ranger at Shenandoah National Park. We have a beetle that none of us have been able to identify, and I’m turning to you for help. I am attaching a photo of this yellow beetle that has green and yellow banded elytra. It is a fairly docile creature, and has sat and groomed itself while sitting on my arm (it cleans its antennae in much the same way a cat cleans its ears….). I have seen it at the highest peaks (just over 4000 feet elevation), and pretty much everywhere else within the park. I have not seen it actually eating anything, and haven’t been able to associate it with any particular plant. My wild guess is that is a Chrysomelid beetle, but that’s as far as I could get. Can you help me, please? This beetle is so abundant all of a sudden, and we get so many questions from visitors. My fellow rangers are always on my case because even "Ranger Bug" can’t figure this one out…
Thanks!
Lucia Napolitano
Park Ranger, Interpretation
Shenandoah National Park
3655 US Highway 211 East
Luray, VA

Dear Ranger Bug,
Quite like you, we knew this was a Chrysomelid Beetle, but were unsure of the species. We contacted Eric Eaton and here is his concise reply: “I can actually help! The image is of a Larger Elm Leaf Beetle, Monocesta coryli. Looks just like the image we will be using in our field guide in fact:-) The insect is not uncommon, but some years can be better than others. The ones I have collected did not have any black markings, so the species is apparently quite variable in its coloration. The pear-shape is quite distinctive and consistent, however. It is indeed a chrysomelid. Eric “

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