Montana Beetle?
April 6, 2010
I photographed this insect, and some others, at about 8000 feet in central Montana in a Lupine field. Some were mating. They were quite large, I’m guessing about 1.5 inches. This was in July 2009. They were strikingly beautiful in the sunlight, and I would love to know what they were. And love your website too, by the way. Thank you.
Montana Hiker
Montana
Dear Montana Hiker,
This is a Blister Beetle in the genus Lytta, possibly Lytta cyanipennis based on images posted to BugGuide, or more likely, Lytta nuttalli, commonly called Nuttall’s Blister Beetle, also pictured on BugGuide.