Flower Buprestid
Acmaeodera gibbula
This beetle was observed along the dry bed of the Hassayampa River west of Buckeye, Maricopa Co., Arizona, 28 Aug. 2010. The beetle was feeding on the leaves of Desert Twinbugs (Dicoria canescens).
Buprestidae -- Metallic Wood-boring Beetle Family
Within the beetle family Buprestidae, the genus Acmaeodera is a very large one and many of the species are very colorful. The patterns include reds, yellows, greens and metallic blues. They are favorites with collectors. In the Sonoran Desert they are common and varied. Most commonly they are seen on newly grown leaves or more commonly on flowers. Some emerge in the spring, but most are more abundant from late summer into fall. As larvae, these beetles live within the stems or twigs of various plants - the associations between larval host plants and adults is not well established. This is an area of scientific exploration where armature naturalists can make useful contributions. The species figured here probably uses mesquite or acacia.