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Peltoschema sp.
Ladybird beetle ??? Leaf beetle ??? We're going with leaf beetle.
Solitary on acacia
Tortoise beetle #10
Probably Peltoschema tetraspilota but the dots are larger and redder http://lifeunseen.com/index2_item_5255.p...
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/239...
http://lifeunseen.com/index2_item_3251.p...
Martin, have noticed that your enthusiasm and knowledge of bugs is superb. Can you please help with the id of the following: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/712... ?
I think its a leaf beetle. Thanks for your assistance lori,aRGyBee and dave. Please look out for its species ID.
Argy, check the distribution for Sticholotis quadrimaculata and I think you'll find it's a strictly east coast critter.
Yes, thanks. I have a similar one here with the same flaired rim along the bottom http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/791... I don't see the same lip on my spotting and am leaning to lori's suggestion of a leaf beetle.
I know your pic looks red spots martin but how about...Sticholotis quadrimaculata
http://www.ento.csiro.au/biology/ladybir...
I had that same suspicion lori.tas but the colors looked too similar to ladybeetles. The acacia threw me too. I'm not clear on the distinguishing features other than diet.
I'm just taking a guess, but it seems more leaf-beetle (Paropsisterna) shaped than ladybird beetle shaped. http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
So the best I can find online is that your various black-with-red-spot ladybugs are all contained in the family Chilocorinae. Some from the genus Exochomus seem closest ... but with so many listed species not having associated photos and the serious questions surrounding how THOSE photos were IDed it is hard to say. Impossible, perhaps, from just a picture.