Dogbane leaf beetle
While hiking, my father and I were drawn to some shiny metallic colors on several leaves along the trail. When we looked closer we found beetles, very shiny and colorful beetles. Using the Seek app it would appear these are dogbane beetles (Chrysochus auratus), a native of eastern North America. I can’t tell you how great it is to photograph something and discover it’s actually a native and not an introduced species.
A stretching dogbane leaf beetle
As their name implies, they’re often found around dogbane plants, and in fact that is their main source of food. Interestingly, these plants contain toxins fatal to many creatures, and apparently they can cause cardiac arrest in people. And yet, because of a genetic mutation, the dogbane beetle is able to safely ingest these toxins. And they can even use these toxins as a defense if threatened, spraying them on any nearby predator.
Dogbane leaf beetle love
We found one pair of beetles mating, and it would seem this is not at all unusual. They reportedly mate up to once a day almost every day. Busy little beetles. But I suppose this makes sense given their lifespan is only 40 to 60 days.
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