Project Noah

Project Noah is a tool to explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere.

Join Project Noah Today

Beetle larvae with parasite eggs

Chrysophtharta variicollis (Parasite = Tachinid fly)

Description:

Tortoise leaf beetles cluster and wave their tails around to dissuade flies laying eggs on them. This has not worked for two of these mature larvae.

Notes:

See others here and here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/847... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/815...


No species ID suggestions

3 Comments

Christiane
Christiane a year ago

This is so interesting.. Thanks for sharing this information with all of us!

martinl
martinl a year ago

Christiane, without tachinid flies and parasitic wasps, we would soon be buried in beetles.

Argy Bee
Argy Bee a year ago

That makes sense about the waving tails and flies.
If evolution was really kind they would have arms.

Victoria, Australia

Lat: -37.73, Long: 145.38

Spotted on Feb 7, 2012
Submitted on Feb 7, 2012

Related spottings

Tortoise leaf beetle Tortoise leaf beetle Leaf beetle Eucalyptus leaf beetle Tortoise leaf beetle

Nearby spottings

Red flowering gum Scale insect (lerp#12) Case moth (Psychidae) Mottled cupmoth  (mature larva)