Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Time for Another Edition of Beetlemania?

Two-spotted Lady Beetle
Common June Beetle
Red Milkweed Beetle
And another. Like the Monarch, the other milkweed beetle, and the milkweed bugs, this red/black combo says don’t eat me I’m full of toxic milkweed latex. Unless, of course, it says I look like something that eats milkweed even if I don’t, so beware!
Cryptocephalus leucomelas, no common name. First iNaturalist observation in NYC. One of the many case-bearing leaf beetles: they construct a case for their eggs/larvae of fecal matter, sometimes along with plant matter. This particular beetle’s hosts are Salix and Populus, and yes, that’s a willow leaf.


mthew

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