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Photo#252275
strange insect - Labidomera clivicollis

strange insect - Labidomera clivicollis
Merrimack, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, USA
August 8, 2008
Size: about 1 cm maybe less
Strange insect. Its back is slimy and sometimes when you touch its back it stings like some sort of acid. Found on milkweed plant. Looks like some sort of larva.

Images of this individual: tag all
strange insect - Labidomera clivicollis strange insect 2 - Labidomera clivicollis

Stinging grub
Out of curiosity, how long does the stinging take to start after touching the back, and how long does it take to go away? Is there any redness or swelling of the skin at the site of contact? I've never experienced this one- it sounds very interesting.

 
well
i caught this a long time ago, but i'm pretty sure that it didn't actually leave any swelling or redness. Its back was slimy, and this stuff felt almost acidic when touched. Maybe it didn't leave anything because I immediately washed it off afterwards.

Moved
My bad, you're right. I didn't even note that it was feeding in milkweed. Thanks, Mike

Moved
Moved from Leaf Beetles.

 
are you sure
it is that because it looks more like

i think i know
Labidomera clivicollis

swamp milkweed leaf beetle larva

i just looked it up because i just submitted a photo of a swamp milkweed leaf beetle and this also came up. I didn't know that I had swamp milkweed in my backyard.

Chrysomelidae larva
something like Leptinotarsa sp.

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