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Project Noah Nature School
Paropsisterna sp.
These green and pink beetles were prolific on a couple of small planted saplings in a local park. All larval stages were found together with adults and eggs. The beetles appeared very similar to pink leaf galls that infested the tree. The young apical leaves and stems were also pink. Young larvae congregate into groups and remain underneath the leaf that they are eating. Advanced instars look similar to the Eucalyptus weevil larva (with its remnant fecal trail). http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/165...
Spotted on Oct 8, 2013
Submitted on Oct 8, 2013
5 Comments
Maybe the electron microscope is the only answer. Great set of photos btw.
I am not sure if the pronotum or wing patterns are the definitive factor to make an ID. I consider that any isolated population will evolve variations such as these being on younger gums and 'copying' the pink leaves and pink galls. The larvae are also evolving differences and although harder to observe, might be important for Identification. These larvae, and adults both seemed somewhat different to P. variicollis. Is it significant? I don't know.
You certainly have some pronotal translucency that servitude mentions.
Could be. Tony and Kristi don't have an ID either. I was looking at some variations on variicolis the other day and for a moment I thought the markings on the pronotum were more indicative than the wing cover patterns. What do you think. (Unfortunately theirs is glazed out here)
Is this the same? http://www.flickr.com/photos/zosterops/5...