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Epicauta pennsylvanica
All black slender beetle. I was surprised to find them this early in the year. This is a mating pair. The female is the larger one and she will drag the male around as she feeds.
Spotted on lupines in eastern Washington. Cascade foothills.
Spotted on May 25, 2020
Submitted on Jun 10, 2020
4 Comments
Thanks for commenting puckett.llewellyn.I'm not sure why they're on lupine. Maybe for pollen or nectar. According to BugGuide, they are associated with Asteraceae, such as goldenrods and asters.
Is she eating the Aphids off of that Beautiful Lupine?
Thanks much, Neil. I wish now that I had made a video of them.
Wonderful spotting, Brian. And I love their feeding etiquette. I'm sure I've seen humans engaging in the same practice!