Tortoise beetle

Cassida circumdata

Description:

Iridescent green beetles of about 5mm. They retract their legs into their transparent shells so that they are protected from predators. In the mating pictures they are accompanied by Chalcid wasps which eat their eggs and larvae. The third photo is when one flew in through the window to land on my flower pot.

Habitat:

Shrubs.

Species ID Suggestions

16 Comments

sunnyjosef 9 years ago

Thank you Juan.. Added to the mission.

Juan DiTrani 9 years ago

Wao!, those parasitic wasps are waiting for any chance. Please consider including this spot in Parasited Arthropods mission http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/1338...

sunnyjosef 10 years ago

Thanks KarenL

KarenL 10 years ago

Gorgeous capture!

sunnyjosef 10 years ago

Thanks NeilDazet

NeilDazet 10 years ago

Like them all, but that 3rd pic is really amazing, like a piece of art!

sunnyjosef 10 years ago

Thank you LaurenZarate for your comments and also for sharing another spotting.

LaurenZarate 10 years ago

It is neat that you also caught the parasitic wasps. The beetles must know that the wasps are there waiting. Maybe they are resigned to losing a certain percentage of their offspring? I
saw this also, but with Treehoppers, really amazing.....
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/222...