Photo#103706 | | | Copyright © 2007 E Moon | |
Unknown small beetle - Pelonides quadrinotata - Williamson County, Texas, USA April 16, 2007 Size: <10mm
This small, bright-red, spotted beetle was on one of the flowers of a cluster (Drummond wild onion) where a butterfly had perched...the butterfly caught my attention, but flew away before I could photograph it. This didn't.
The most striking feature is those branched antennae, like reindeer antlers...but the color and the spots are also intriguing. I'm thinking the pale powdery stuff on its back is probably pollen (?) but I don't know. I looked for it in Kaufman & Eaton, but I just don't know enough about beetles to know where to start. (I think it's an adult beetle because I spotted the "seam" running down the middle of its back.)
The picture was taken about 4 pm; it was breezy, with increasing clouds, but the light was still very good. As with all the pictures I took today, the wind was moving the flower the beetle sat on, so I apologize for it not being perfectly sharp.
Sure hope someone knows what this is.
Contributed by E Moon on 16 April, 2007 - 10:40pm Last updated 11 April, 2014 - 11:02am |