"A little beetle passed me by.
He didn't make much fuss,
He ran around my garden
Like a tiny yellow bus."
~ Slyvia Gerditz
For my science lesson today, I researched the name of this bug that was color coordinated with the blanket flower. It is a Pennsylvania Leatherwing Beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus). I might not have noticed it if it hadn't landed on my arm, as if asking to have its picture taken.
The aphid-eating, flower-loving Pennsylvania Leatherwing Beetle doubles as a pollinator and a pest controller. The texture on the elytra (wing covering) of the beetle is smooth and shiny, giving it the appearance of leather. As a defensive maneuver, they are capable of secreting a foul chemical from glands near the tip of the abdomen.
This beetle has a fantastic appetite for aphids which are small plant-sucking insects that are the bane of every gardener. The presence of the Pennsylvania Leatherwing Beetle means free and organic pest control. As a bonus, the beetle spends so much time wandering around flowers looking for aphids, it becomes a terrific pollinator as well.
www.InsectIdentification.org.
Very interesting info you've shared along with the great picture. I've just realized Mr. Beetle looks to be sipping from the water droplet on the petal. Fantastic photo in all its color-coordinatedness. (I seriously doubt that's an actual word.)
We have zillions of these guys, so it's good to know they are beneficial. I know them by soldier beetles, but I think it is the same thing. You got a very nice shot.
