Subject: Dashboard Beetle?
Geographic location of the bug: Union City, California
Date: 12/04/2017
Time: 08:46 PM EDT
Bugman, while waiting for my daughter in the parking lot of her orthodontist, this bug went crawling across my dash. I’ve never seen such a critter. I scooped it up and tossed it on a nearby bush. What’s that bug?
How you want your letter signed: John
Dear John,
This is a Metallic Borer Beetle or Jewel Beetle in the family Buprestidae, but the image is too blurry to make a conclusive species identification. It does look similar to a pair of mating Dicerca hornii we observed at the What’s That Bug? offices in Los Angeles this year.
Yes, apologies for the blurry picture. I blame my phone, but I’ll try better next time.
Thank you, Daniel!
~ John