Alex Wild on insects, science, and photography
A pleasing fungus beetle (Erotylidae)
I photographed this pleasingly spotted erotylid beetle at the Jatun Sacha reserve in Amazonian Ecuador. Do any of you coleopterous readers recognize the genus/species? I’ve not had the time to properly ID it.
Incidentally. Bright colors like these? You’re better off not eating this one.
A personal blog by Illinois-based biologist and photographer Alex Wild.
Myrmecos- derived from the ancient greek word for "ant"- hosts Alex's musings about these and other little creatures that share our planet.
Questions? Email alwild [at] myrmecos.net; or follow @Myrmecos on Twitter.
Hi Alex. That is a beauty–one of my favorites. It is Iphiclus sedecimmaculatus.
Thanks, James.
I must say I am rather proud of the Myrmecos readership. I post an ID request and a leading expert on the taxonomy of the group shows up to provide an answer!
Might I ask how you knew it was a fungus beetle? And what is a fungus beetle?
What do you mean aposematic, it’s a walking Reese’s Pieces ad! Great, late night hunger yet again.
Alex
I love when you & your readers go off and talk in a foreign language (Scientific Names).
I can remember Jo-anne coming home from University and rolling off the Latin scientific names as it was a second language to her.
Wow..what a bug!! I never seen this before, i love it. Kereeen!!!
[...] this month. Check out his sexy weevils, the first sap beetles of the spring, and a stunning pleasing fungus beetle from Ecuador. And just in case you missed it, be sure to look through his gallery of wallpaper [...]