Golden Beetle with Black Sanscript
October 3, 2009
Found in New England, near Boston MA: we saw one last year and this is the second one this year so far. Cannot find other pictures that look like it online. I realize it’s probably in the Eucalyptus family but no name that i could find.
Leisu Kirby
Hudson, MA

Dogwood Calligrapha

Hi Leisu,
This is a Leaf Beetle in the genus Calligrapha.  We believe it is the Dogwood Calligrapha, Calligrapha philadelphica, though there are several other species in the genus that could possibly be your beetle.  The eucalyptus family is a group of trees.  The family in this case is Chrysomelidae, the Leaf Beetles.  It is interesting that you noted the Sanscript since the genus name refers to the writing like markings on the elytra or wing covers.  BugGuide indicates that this species:  “Differs from C. multipunctata primarily in having the pronotum uniformly dark. Also, dark areas including spots are more likely to be dark metallic green in this species, in contrast with the black of C. multipunctata.“

Yellow Caterpillars in Outfits
October 1, 2009
Size: about 3/4″
When: Oct 1, 2009, 9:45AM
Where: Underside of native Jimsonweed leaves, on a large sunny meadow off Riverside Drive.
I’d been hoping to find Hawk Moth caterpillars since there was such a huge patch of Jimsonweed. Most of the plants had only tiny bites taken out of them. The plants that had the largest bites had these fat little caterpillars with what looks like bird excrement hanging off their backs. Great camouflage!
Also intersting – the chewed edges of the leaves are blackened, appearing as if they had been burned. (See photo) The plants with tiny bites had no black marks like these.
Diane Edwardson
Los Angeles, Elysian Park

Old Fashioned Potato Beetle Larvae

Hi Diane,
If it looks like a caterpillar and acts like a caterpillar, it is not necessarily a caterpillar.  Many beetle larvae and sawfly larvae are confused with caterpillars.  These are not caterpillars.  They are beetle larvae, and more specifically, they are Old Fashioned Potato Beetle Larvae, Lema daturaphila, also called Three-Lined Potato Beetles.  According to BugGuide, the scientific name “Means ‘Datura loving.’ Datura is a genus of plant in the Nightshade family. The potato is not in the genus Datura, but is in the Nightshade family. This beetle feeds on both potato plants and other members of the Nightshade family.”  We noticed that you have the embedded location information as the 18 acre parcel on Riverside Drive.  We know that land, but never knew it was part of Elysian Park.  We have a certain fondness for Elysian Park.  That is where we found our cat as a stray kitten 11 years ago, and he is just the sweetest cat ever.

Daniel,
Thank you!    I’ll credit What’s that bug? (with a link) for the ID.  I’ll be posting a similar photo on my blog http://redcarproperty.blogspot.com/ probably Monday.  Feel free to use the photo I sent you as long as my photo credit is on it.  No wonder I couldn’t find it under caterpillars.
By the way, that part of Elysian Park is undergoing environmental review for park improvements, see: http://www.theeastsiderla.com/2009/10/do-you-want-park-or-parking-lot.html
Diane Edwardson
http://redcarproperty.blogspot.com/

Nasty lime green beetle turning a bit yellow now. They do fly and they don’t like it when I water.
September 12, 2009
Moved in, on the leaves of the pumpkin plants, now starting on the blossoms. Then some went to the sunflowers, too.
These are the BIG pumpkins, and don’t want them going to the pumpkins themselves.
Cathy
Extreme north central Iowa, close to the Minnesota border.

Northern Corn Rootworm Beetle

Hi Cathy,
We believe these are Northern Corn Rootworms, Diabrotica barberi, a species of Skeletonizing Leaf Beetle, based on images posted to BugGuide.

Northern Corn Rootworm

Orange blk spotted soft body insect
August 24, 2009
Found on Corn flower plant. Has a soft shiny body
Gary
New York

Potato Beetle Larva

Hi Gary,
This is the larva of a Potato Beetle in the genus Leptinotarsa.  BugGuide notes that though the genus is collectively known as Potato Beetles, “but note, not all spp. host on Solanaceous plants.“

Giant Lady Beetle?
August 5, 2009
Is there such a thing as a Giant Lady Beetle? I found this beetle this morning on a milkweed plant (a typical lady beetle would be the size of the flower buds around this creature). The coloring didn’t seem right for a hercules or harlequin beetle.
Tim Doyle
Memphis, TN

Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle

Hi Tim,
Though it looks like a Ladybird Beetle, this is actually a Swamp Milkweed Beetle, Labidomera clivicollis.  They feed on the flowers and leaves of milkweed, and BugGuide has this interesting bit of information posted:  “Both larvae and adults of this species cut several side-veins of a milkweed leaf prior to feeding, to reduce the sticky latex that would otherwise be produced at their feeding sites.“

Metallic Green Beetle with a really cool plastic coat
July 31, 2009
I found these beetles congregated in a wooden window frame in an abandoned building on the shoreline of the Pacific in Nicaragua. I was attracted by the bright green metallic color but then noticed the really cool “plastic coat” each was wearing. Looks like they’ve been recylcling the many discarded water bottles littering the shoreline. Any idea what this guy is?
Dean Campbell
Las Salinas Nicaragua

Tortoise Beetle from Nicaragua

Hi Dean,
This is some species of Tortoise Beetle in the Leaf Beetle subfamily Cassidinae, but we haven’t the time to research the exact species just now.  Perhaps one of our readers can provide the answer.

Identification from Karl
August 4, 2009
Hi Daniel:
I am fairly certain that Dean’s tortoise beetles belong in the genus Physonota. Of the several species occurring in Nicaragua, Physonota attenuate appears to be the closest match. Unfortunately, all of the reference photos I could find of this species are of preserved museum specimens, and tortoise beetles don’t preserve their color or clarity when they are dried. A live specimen would look much like the related North American species, P. helianthi, which can be viewed at the Bugguide site. Regards.
Karl