Subject: Colorful beetle
Location: Chubut Province, Argentina
December 19, 2014 8:51 pm
While traveling in Patagonia near the Valdes Peninsula we saw this truly beautiful bug. The picture was taken in mid-November. We were close to the Atlantic Ocean. I have looked through the web trying to identify. I hope you may have an answer. Thank you,
Signature: Homer Shell
Dear Homer,
This is sure a colorful and distinctive looking beetle. Our first inclination is to speculate it is a Leaf Beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. We will attempt a more specific identification and we hope to get some assistance from our readership.
Lady Beetle identification courtesy of Karl
Hi Daniel and Homer Shell:
Although it really doesn’t look like one, this is actually a Lady Beetle (a.k.a. Ladybug or Ladybird). The species is Eriopis connexa (Coccinellidae: Coccinellinae) and it is one of the most wide spread beetles in South America. Like most Lady beetles, it is a voracious predator of aphids and is widely used for biological control of pests on crops such as maize and sorghum.
lRegards. Karl
Thanks very much to Daniel and Karl for the ID. You were a great help.
Homer Shell