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Male and Female Jewel Beetles (Family Buprestidae). Male approximately 5 mm, female approximately 7 mm. On the leaves of a bush in a field on the outskirts of the city.
First pair on low fuzzy shrub, not woody, 7Nov2012. Second pair on low woody bushes, semi urban area with open fields, valley of San Cristobal de Las Casas, 25July2006.
They drop to the ground and play dead when disturbed. This species has been observed farther north in Mexico, in Quila, Jalisco in September of 2016 (http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/...). An identification has not yet been reported. See also: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/165....
Thank you thaptor! It was nice to know it has been seen elsewhere in Mexico. Jalisco is quite a bit north of San Cristobal, Chiapas. I don't know the plants I see these on. I can find them every Nov-December though. You are so right about the insect-plant relationships and I wish I knew more botany. The plants I see them on are all local bushy things.
Ohh, you got so many beetles, Lauren! - even this showy one, of which I'm still curious what it is . . .
on NaturaLista, there are two obs. already, on the same plant species, it seems. Was yours similar?
A valuable goal for all "Citizen scientists" is the detection of animal-plant relationships - in beetles, largely unknown still. You easily find something new, if you have an eye on that.
Congrats Lauren for your first year in Project Noah! And I agree with you this is a wonderful place full of discoveries and friends.
Today is my first anniversary in Project Noah. I would like to thank PN and all my new friends for a wonderful year of sharing and learning. I love seeing nature from all your different points of view and exotic places. I have learned more this year than in many years past combined! Thank you all so much.
Very nice first spotting on Noah - welcome to the Project! Until you find out which species it is, could you add Buprestidae as the scientific name?