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Beetle larvae with parasite eggs

Chrysophtharta variicollis (Parasite = Tachinid fly)

Photo by MartinL
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Tortoise leaf beetles cluster and wave their tails around to dissuade flies laying eggs on them. This has not worked for two of these mature larvae.

Notes:

See others here and here
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8477395
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8153244

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)
Christiane
This is so interesting.. Thanks for sharing this information with all of us!
MartinL
Christiane, without tachinid flies and parasitic wasps, we would soon be buried in beetles.
Mark Ridgway
That makes sense about the waving tails and flies. If evolution was really kind they would have arms.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
WILD Cities: Urban Biodiversity
Mission
Interaction between different species of Arthropods
Mission
Eggs of the World
Mission
Beetles of Southeastern Australia

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Photographed
PublishedFebruary 7, 2012

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