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Project Noah Nature School
Monticomorpha semele
About 4 cm long, glossy black with orange sections on the abdomen underside fringed by a pale purple section; dark red head and antennae, legs also with a dark red tinge. It seems to be a female holding an egg in the tip of its abdomen, which was curled over the body. I was surprised to find a larger insect at this altitude (about 4000 m), particularly due to the cold temperatures.
High Ecuadorian Andes grassland, in the middle of "El Cajas" national park. It wasn't hiding, I could spot it quite easily among the grasses.
Spotted on Sep 14, 2015
Submitted on Jul 30, 2016
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