Flower Buprestid
Acmaeodera disjuncta ?
Feeding on inflorescence of Annual Sunflower. A Formica ant is attempting to dislodge the beetle. Patagonia Mts., Sta. Cruz Co., Arizona, USA. 29 August 2015.
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Adult Acmaeodera can be found on flowers where they feed on pollen or the petals. Plants can employ ants to serve as body guards for protection. Payment is made in the form of sugary exudate from the leafy bracts. The ant is using formic acid spray, but the beetles' durable exoskeleton appears to be repelling the attack.