Golden Tortoise Beetle

Charidotella sexpunctata

The golden tortoise beetle is a species of beetle in the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae. It is native to the Americas. This beetle is associated with plants in the family Convolvulaceae, including sweet potato, morning glories, and bindweeds. Adults and larvae feed on foliage.
Golden Tortoise Beetle - Charidotella sexpunctata The larvae of the Golden Tortoise Beetle have broad, flattened bodies that are adorned with branched spines. They carry their cast skins and fecal material on their back - attached to spines arising from the posterior end of their body, a structure called an "anal fork." The anal fork is used to hold the debris over the back of the body, forming a fecal shield that deters predation. Habitat: Rural backyard Charidotella sexpunctata,Geotagged,Golden Tortoise Beetle,Summer,United States,beetle larva,larva

Appearance

The beetle is 5 to 7 millimeters in length. It is variable in color from orange to gold and it is often metallic, earning it the nickname "goldbug". Its external margins are expanded and lack pigmentation, becoming nearly transparent. The color changes seasonally, and the beetle can change color when threatened by changing the flow of fluid between the layers of its cuticle. It turns from shiny gold to dull brown when disturbed.
Golden Tortoise Beetle Larva The larvae of the Golden Tortoise Beetle have broad, flattened bodies that are adorned with branched spines. They carry their cast skins and fecal material on their back - attached to spines arising from the posterior end of their body, a structure called an "anal fork." The anal fork is used to hold the debris over the back of the body, forming a fecal shield that deters predation. This larva had so much jiggly goo on it's back, that I imagine it will be successful in dissuading anything that might initially want to eat it. Charidotella sexpunctata,Coleoptera,Geotagged,Golden Tortoise Beetle,Golden Tortoise Beetle Larva,Summer,United States,beetle,beetle larva

Naming

There are two subspecies, ssp. "bicolor" and ssp. "sexpunctata".
Golden tortoise beetle Lovely to come upon this little nugget of gold. 7 mm length. Charidotella sexpunctata,Chrysomelidae,Coleoptera,Fauna,Geotagged,Golden Tortoise Beetle,Summer,United States,arthropod,insect,invertebrate,leaf beetle,macro,pennsylvania

Reproduction

The beetle lays clusters of about 20 flat, white eggs on stems or on the undersides of leaves. The spiny, yellowish or reddish brown larva emerges from the egg in 5 to 10 days. The larva accumulates shed skins and frass on a structure called an anal fork, which it positions over its body as a fecal shield to hide it from predators. This is usually effective against smaller insect predators, but not larger ones, such as hemipterans. After two to three weeks it becomes a spiny brown frass-covered pupa, and one or two weeks later it emerges as an adult.
Golden Tortoise Beetle Larva - Charidotella sexpunctata The larvae of the Golden Tortoise Beetle have broad, flattened bodies that are adorned with branched spines. They carry their cast skins and fecal material on their back - attached to spines arising from the posterior end of their body, a structure called an "anal fork." The anal fork is used to hold the debris over the back of the body, forming a fecal shield that deters predation. Habitat: Rural garden https://www.jungledragon.com/image/85184/golden_tortoise_beetle_larva_-_charidotella_sexpunctata.html Charidotella sexpunctata,Geotagged,Golden Tortoise Beetle,Summer,United States,beetle larva,fecal shield,larva,larvae,tortoise beetle larva

Predators

Predators of the beetle include parasitoids such as the eulophid wasp "Tetrastichus cassidus" and the tachinid fly "Eucelatoriopsis dimmocki". Other predators, especially of the larvae, include ladybird beetles, damsel bugs, shield bugs, and assassin bugs.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderColeoptera
FamilyChrysomelidae
GenusCharidotella
SpeciesC. sexpunctata
Photographed in
United States of America