Dogbane beetle

Chrysochus auratus

Chrysochus auratus, of eastern North America, is a member of the insect subfamily Eumolpinae. It is primarily found east of the Rocky Mountains. One of the brightest in its family, it is iridescent blue-green with a metallic copper, golden or crimson shine.
Dogbane Beetle - Chrysochus auratus There were several on this plant. Habitat: Meadow https://www.jungledragon.com/image/152410/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/152413/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/152412/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/152411/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html Chrysochus,Chrysochus auratus,Dogbane beetle,Geotagged,Summer,United States,beetle,coleoptera

Appearance

Its diet consists of dogbane and milkweed. It measures between 8 and 11 mm and has a convex, oval shape.
irridescent Dogbane beetle on stella de oro. North Texas Chrysochus auratus,Dogbane beetle

Naming

Chrysochus auratus (Fabricius 1775)
auratus = 'golden'
Chrysochus auratus Found in a patch of Apocynum sibiricum. Apocynum sibiricum,Chrysochus auratus,Coleoptera,Dogbane Beetle,Dogbane beetle,Geotagged,Summer,United States,beetle,insect,iridescent

Distribution

TDogbane beetles live in the Nearctic Region throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. The western boundaries of its range are the Rocky Mountains, Utah, and Arizona.
Dogbane Beetle - Chrysochus auratus Dogbane beetles are iridescent blue-green with metallic copper coloring on their front wings. The legs and antennae are dark blue. They have long, 12-jointed antennae. These beetles are named for the dogbane plants that they frequently eat. The plants contain chemicals called cardenolides, which are bitter and toxic to other insects. Dogbane beetles are adapted to be able to eat and store these chemicals in their bodies, which helps to protect them from predators. https://www.jungledragon.com/image/62052/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html Chrysochus auratus,Dogbane Beetle,Dogbane beetle,Geotagged,Summer,United States,beetle

Status

Dogbane beetles are not known to be endangered.
Dogbane Beetle - Chrysochus auratus This is my 10,000th photo on JungleDragon! :) Dogbane beetles are iridescent blue-green with metallic copper coloring on their front wings. The legs and antennae are dark blue. They have long, 12-jointed antennae. These beetles are named for the dogbane plants that they frequently eat. The plants contain chemicals called cardenolides, which are bitter and toxic to other insects. Dogbane beetles are adapted to be able to eat and store these chemicals in their bodies, which helps to protect them from predators. Habitat: Meadow https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117859/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117858/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117857/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117856/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117855/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html Chrysochus,Chrysochus auratus,Coleoptera,Dogbane beetle,Geotagged,Summer,United States,beetle

Behavior

Due to limited dispersal ability, dogbane beetles live in small, sporadic populations.
Dogbane Beetle Dogbane beetles are iridescent blue-green with metallic copper coloring on their front wings. The legs and antennae are dark blue. They have long, 12-jointed antennae. These beetles are named for the dogbane plants that they frequently eat. The plants contain chemicals called cardenolides, which are bitter and toxic to other insects. Dogbane beetles are adapted to be able to eat and store these chemicals in their bodies, which helps to protect them from predators. Chrysochus auratus,Dogbane Beetle,Dogbane beetle,Geotagged,Summer,United States,beetle

Habitat

Dogbane beetles are found in areas where host plants live. They feed and live mainly on dogbane plants (Apocynaceae), especially Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) and spreading dogbane (A. androsaemifolium). Indian hemp, often regarded as a weed, can be found throughout the entire United States in various soil types. It prefers open habitats where it can spread, such as roadsides, fields, railroad tracks, lakeshores, and disturbed areas. Spreading dogbane is found in the northeastern United States. This plant also spreads easily and can survive in a number of habitats. It prefers forests, forest edges, streambanks, and fields with sandy or gravelly soils.
Dogbane Beetles - Chrysochus auratus These beetles didn't appear to have a care in the world, aside from copulation. Dogbane beetles are iridescent blue-green with metallic copper coloring on their front wings. The legs and antennae are dark blue. They have long, 12-jointed antennae. These beetles are named for the dogbane plants that they frequently eat. The plants contain chemicals called cardenolides, which are bitter and toxic to other insects. Dogbane beetles are adapted to be able to eat and store these chemicals in their bodies, which helps to protect them from predators. Habitat: Meadow Chrysochus,Chrysochus auratus,Dogbane beetle,Geotagged,Summer,United States,beetle

Reproduction

They mate and lay eggs through the summer. Eggs laid on leaves and stems of host plants and nearby vegetation in masses of egg capsules. Larvae are obligate root feeders; adults eat leaves of larval host.

Dogbane beetle males and females mate an average of once per day during their lifetime, taking multiple mates. Males actively search out and choose females to mate with; female choice is ineffective. The entire mating process usually lasts over an hour and a half due to postcopulatory mate guarding, where males ride on the females backs after insemination in order to ensure that the female uses his sperm to fertilize her eggs. Mating usually takes place early in the day.
Dogbane Beetle - Chrysochus auratus There were several on this plant. Habitat: Meadow https://www.jungledragon.com/image/152410/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/152413/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/152412/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/152411/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html Chrysochus auratus,Dogbane beetle,Geotagged,Summer,United States

Food

Apocynaceae, including Apocynum cannabinum and Apocynum androsaemifolium; also reported in association with common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca, Asclepiadaceae).
Dogbane Beetle - Chrysochus auratus Dogbane beetles are iridescent blue-green with metallic copper coloring on their front wings. The legs and antennae are dark blue. They have long, 12-jointed antennae. These beetles are named for the dogbane plants that they frequently eat. The plants contain chemicals called cardenolides, which are bitter and toxic to other insects. Dogbane beetles are adapted to be able to eat and store these chemicals in their bodies, which helps to protect them from predators. Habitat: Meadow https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117859/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117858/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117857/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117856/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/117855/dogbane_beetle_-_chrysochus_auratus.html Chrysochus auratus,Chrysomelidae,Dogbane beetle,Geotagged,Summer,United States

Defense

Dogbane plants (Apocynaceae) eaten by dogbane beetles contain cardenolides, which deter pathogens and herbivores. Cardenolides are bitter and toxic to insects. However, many herbivorous insects, such as dogbane beetles, have developed adaptations that allow them to ingest and sequester the toxin. Dogbane beetles can use the compounds as a defense mechanism against predators in the same way that plants do. When the beetle is disturbed, cardenolides released through glands on the pronotum and elytra deter predation. Larvae that have high concentrations of the toxin are parasitized less frequently by parasitic wasps.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chrysochus_auratus/
https://bugguide.net/node/view/461
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderColeoptera
FamilyChrysomelidae
GenusChrysochus
SpeciesC. auratus
Photographed in
United States of America