Goldsmith Beetle

Green Iridescent Goldsmith Beetle?
Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 10:14 AM
We were at a friend’s home in Sauk Rapids, Mn, and our daughters found this shimmering iridescent green beetle. Her daughters found this link, and thought it might be that. Only in a picture that doesn’t show it’s iridescence, did I think it might be a version of this one, but when we saw it in person, it didn’t look gold at all…just the “bejeweled” green! As if it was imbedded with crystals.
The girls names are Madison and Shaelynn Waseka-(Mom is Marla), and Kristina Anderson.
I happened to be there to take pictures of her home/property, so we got the bug too! 🙂
Photographer: Kathy Anderson
Property owner: Marla Waseka-Contact: Design Firm-Graceful Spaces
Later that day, she went to another friend’s house, who had just found a “Goldsmith Beetle” that day, and saved it since she found it dead. How ironic is that?
So it looks like this one is “family” to the Goldsmith-but is there another name for it, because of the green?
Kathy Anderson/Marla Waseka
Sauk Rapids, Mn

Hi Kathy and Marla,
We believe your ID of the Goldsmith Beetle, Cotalpa lanigera, is correct.  According to BugGuide, the coloration of the Goldsmith Beetle is .  Even more interesting, the greenest example posted to BugGuide was from St. Paul, Dakota County Minnesota.  We actually think your individual is one of the loveliest examples of a Goldsmith Beetle we have seen.