Iridescent
It’s time for dogbane beetles again. A cloudy, rainy morning recently was perfect for photographing these beautiful, iridescent insects:
Time for me to revise my notes on finding dogbane beetles. I wrote a few years back that towards the end of the summer is the best time to look. I’m now finding them reliably when the dogbane starts blooming, towards the end of June to the beginning of July. Last year, my first sighting June 26th, this year it was July 3rd.
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There is a row of dogbane right across from the lotus pond I visit. So far they are not evident, but the flowers have just started. One of my favorites.
In my dogbane patch, the flowers started about a week before I saw a beetle. With the dogbane in full flower, I started seeing beetles.
Should be this week then. I saw a few nice ones last year.
the range of colors are so good 🙂
It seems that dogbane beetles are anything but the bane of your existence. May they iridesce abundantly for you.
Dogbane beetles have been very good to me – especially this week. The cloudy skies and rain helped as well…thanks!
Beautiful image and subject Tom, love the colors in the beetle !!
Beautiful image. Reminds me too much of the Japanese Beetles that are eating some of my flowers. 🙂