While I was keying out a leaf beetle a few days ago I stumbled through the section in the key on Tortoise Beetles, and thought 'that's funny, I've never seen one of those before!'. Last night though as fate would have it this little chap was sitting on the front door.
It's a Thistle Tortoise beetle, quite common and not one of the more attractive Tortoise beetles, granted, but nonetheless showing the key features: oval, flattened body profile, pronotum entirely covering the head, and a flattening or slight upturn on the edges of the elytra.
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| Thistle Tortoise beetle Cassida rubiginosa |
The larvae are armoured with spikes that they liberally plaster with their own faeces (see here: http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/beetles%20p2.html). Nice!
Daughter photographed Fleabane Tortoise Beetle at Parc Slip on Saturday, must be a good time for them
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, It seems to be shaping up to be a pretty good year for insects all round. I've never seen so many Swollen-thighed beetles around before for example.
ReplyDeleteindeed - every flower I point my camera at theres one munching away - makes for a great day out every time. Bags of interest for everyone
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