Bean Plataspid

Description:

Plataspidae; Plataspinae; Coptosoma obtusiceps Stål, 1871. When I first encountered this species, I had great difficulty with identification, thinking it was Megacopta sp. nr. cribraria. Thanks to arne.roysland, I now know that this is Coptosoma obtusiceps. The first photo shows a magnificent male out to fulfill his roll in the propagation of his species and the second records his success in finding a mate. Then in the third, they are joined by some more couples and the last three pictures show the fruits of their labour. I have noticed that most Plataspid eggs are laid on the upper surface and somewhere in the middle of a leaf, but in my fifth photo, the female is ovulating right at the tip. In the final picture, the egg raft has been laid on the flower of the plant.

Habitat:

These Bean Plataspids were all spotted on a Hyacinth Bean Vine (Lablab purpureus) behind our house. The first time I ever saw a C. obtuciceps was on a Hyacinth Bean Vine in the garden of my wife's family home, a short distance from our house. So my wife planted one for me with the express purpose of trying to attract these bugs so that I could observe them easier. I can say with great confidence that this plant could easily be renamed the Coptosoma Magnet Vine. To say it was successful would be an understatement. It brought hordes of them.

Notes:

Plant identification reference: http://www.stuartxchange.org/Bataw