Cassida vibex (Cassida vibex)

Cassida vibex - ventral, Heeswijk-Dinther, Netherlands This was the personal highlight of this hike. I've seen tortoise beetles posted on JungleDragon for many years yet somehow never considered any to occur in the Netherlands, I always imagined them to be more tropical species. Only through Arp's work did I learn that the Netherlands also has a few native species, and this is the first time I found one here.

I'll partially excuse myself for not seeing them earlier as they really are much smaller than I imagined them to be, plus they blend in really well. The dutch name for this species (distelschildkever) translates as "Thistle Tortoise Beetle", after its host plant.
https://www.jungledragon.com/image/122059/cassida_vibex_-_context_heeswijk-dinther_netherlands.html
https://www.jungledragon.com/image/122058/cassida_vibex_heeswijk-dinther_netherlands.html
https://www.jungledragon.com/image/122061/cassida_vibex_-_closeup_heeswijk-dinther_netherlands.html Cassida vibex,Europe,Heeswijk-Dinther,Netherlands,World

Distribution

From Portugal to China and Japan and north to southern Fennoscandia.

Tortoise Beetle (Cassida vibex) There are approx. 7,200 classified, highly variable and often very colourful species contained in the sub-family Cassidinae (Tortoise beetles) of which just 14 are to be found in the UK.

C. vibex is widespread and common in the southern half of the UK, preferring a warmer, dryer environment than that of the north.

This is a small (5.5 - 7mm) flattened beetle who's colouring, which varies between green and the very light green seen here, provides better camouflage than many of its compatriots. making it very easy to miss.

It can be found in various habitats including most types of grassland living primarily on thistles and knapweeds, but also burdocks and artichokes.

Reproduction takes place between April and July with adults present until September or October after which they overwinter in leaf litter, occasionally emerging on warmer days.

When threatened the beetle will retreat under its shell (like a tortoise) until the threat has passed.

Cassida vibex,Geotagged,Summer,United Kingdom

Food

Known host plants are mostly various thistles, Cirsium and Carduus spp. and other Asteraceae/Compositae such as Centaurea spp, Arctium lappa, Serratula tinctoria etc.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Taxonomy
Kingdom	Animalia
Division	Arthropoda
Class	Insecta
Order	Coleoptera
Family	Chrysomelidae
Genus	Cassida
Species	Cassida vibex

Photographed in
United Kingdom
Netherlands