Skip to main content
Close

Beetle larvae with parasite eggs

Chrysophtharta variicollis (Parasite = Tachinid fly)

Photo by MartinL
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

-37.7287, 145.379

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.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)

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

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon