Beetles

Rove Beetle - Staphylinidae: genus Plochionocerus, from Monteverde, Costa Rica.

The remarkable wing covers of this tiny beetle resemble an intricate wood carving - however, I was surprised to learn that this subfamily is generally considered to be a poop mimic. (Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae, genus Octotoma, from Monteverde, Costa Rica)

Leaf beetles, family Chrysomelidae. (Monteverde, Costa Rica)

Goofy-looking yet dignified weevil (Curculionidae) from Monteverde, Costa Rica.

Mating pair of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae: Calligrapha sp.) from Costa Rica.

Northern Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica barberi, on thistle flower in Iowa.

Flower longhorn beetle, Lepturopsis biforis, on thistle (Wisconsin, USA).

A Red-flue Checkered Beetle, Trichodes nuttalli, feeds on a wild sunflower (Wisconsin, USA).

Common Claybank Tiger Beetle, Cicindela limbalis (Wisconsin, USA).

Balsam Fir Sawyer, Monochamus marmorator (Wisconsin, USA).

A Green Immigrant Leaf Weevil, Polydrusus formosus, nibbles on a leaf in Wisconsin.

A well-camouflaged Sawyer longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae: genus Monochamus) blends into a tree trunk in Wisconsin, USA.

This very convincing wasp mimic is actually a Sugar Maple Borer, Glycobius speciosus, a rare longhorn beetle from Wisconsin. The name "speciosus" comes from the Latin "specios," meaning showy or beautiful.

Metallic wood-boring beetle, Buprestidae: genus Agrilus (Iowa, USA).

A Sugar Maple Borer, Glycobius speciosus, drinks rainwater off a leaf (Wisconsin, USA).

Fiery Searcher, Calosoma scrutator (Iowa, USA).

Twelve-spotted or Pink Spotted Lady Beetle, Coleomegilla maculata lengi (Iowa, USA).

Leaf beetle - Chrysomelidae: genus Neolema, possibly N. sexpunctata, from Belize.

Longhorn beetle, family Cerambycidae, from Iowa, USA.

Longhorn beetle, genus Taeniotes, from Belize. Longhorn beetles, family Cerambycidae, are so named for the pronounced length of their antennae, which are frequently longer than the body of the insect itself.

Firefly, Phaenolis (Lampyridae: Lampyrinae: Pleotomini) from Belize.

Leaf Beetle, Chrysomelidae (Belize).

Balsam Fir Sawyer, Monochamus marmorator (Wisconsin, USA).

Locust Borer, Megacyllene robiniae (Iowa, USA). The yellow banding on this wasp-mimicking longhorn beetle provides excellent camouflage against blooming Goldenrod (genus Solidago), where adults regularly feed on pollen after emerging from Black Locust trees in late summer.

Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle, Labidomera clivicollis, feeding on milkweed (Iowa, USA).

A hoverfly (family Syrphidae) and a Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) chow down on pollen together (Iowa, USA).

Oak Timberworm beetle, Arrhenodes minutus, at my light last night (Iowa, USA). Unlike the highly speciose "true" weevils, family Curculionidae (with 2,900+ species in North America alone and 50,000+ worldwide), the straight-snouted weevils (Brentidae, pictured) contain a modest 150 species in the states and 4,000 in total.

Silvanid beetle, family Silvanidae, possibly Telephanus atricapillus (Iowa, USA).

Mating longhorn beetles, Psenocerus supernotatus (Iowa, USA).

Leaf beetle - Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: tribe Alticini, possibly genus Disonycha (Iowa, USA). Members of this tribe are sometimes referred to as flea beetles thanks to their jumping prowess.

A ground beetle, family Carabidae, scavenges on the remains of a centipede. (Iowa, USA).

Dung beetle - Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: possibly genus Copris (Iowa, USA).

Dorsal view of a click beetle - Elateridae: genus Melanotus (Iowa, USA).

Rove beetle, Quedius capucinus (Iowa, USA).

Acorn weevil - Curculionidae: genus Curculio, (Iowa, USA). These odd-looking beetles use their elongated snouts to bore into acorns and other nuts to excavate safe spaces for their eggs.

Leaf beetle, Chrysomelidae, from Costa Rica.

Longhorn beetle, (Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, Acanthoderini, possibly Macronemus asperulus) from Monteverde, Costa Rica.

Burying or Carrion Beetle (Silphidae: genus Oxelytrum) from Costa Rica. These aptly-named beetles perform a vital ecological service by feeding on carcasses of larger animals as both larvae and adults.

An unusual Jewel Beetle (Buprestidae: genus Agrilus) from Monteverde, Costa Rica.

Lizard beetle (Erotylidae: Languriinae possibly genus Dasydactylus) from Costa Rica.

Common Tiger Beetle - Carabidae: Cicindelinae: genus Cicindela (Iowa, USA). These aptly-named predatory beetles are renowned for their speed - one species has been clocked sprinting at 125 body-lengths per second, or about 9 kilometers per hour. They move so quickly, they can temporarily go blind!

One of the most remarkable longhorn beetles I've ever seen: Aristobia horridula, hitching a ride on the ferry from mainland Thailiand to Koh Chang island in 2012. The pom-pom-like extensions on the antennae maximize surface area for chemoreceptors, allowing the beetle to detect tiny amounts of pheromone from conspecifics.

A cute little leaf beetle trundles through the undergrowth in Monverde, Costa Rica. (Chrysomelidae, subfamily Eumolpinae, possibly Brachypnoea)

Net-winged Beetle (Lycidae: Lycinae: possibly genus Calopteron) from Costa Rica. The brick-red coloration serves to warn predators of its toxicity. As a result, other insects like flies, moths, wasps and other beetles have adopted this color scheme in what is known as a mimicry complex.

Leaf Beetle (Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae: probably Colaspoides sp.) from Monteverde, Costa Rica.

A longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) sporting the impressive antennae for which this family of beetles is named. (Koh Chang island, Thailand)

Oval leaf beetle (Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae: Colaspis sp.) from Monteverde, Costa Rica.

Turtle Beetle (Byrrhoidea: Chelonariidae) from Costa Rica.