Agave Plant Bug
Agaveocoris barberi (Caulotops barberi)
Observed at Sycamore Canyon on the west side of the Mazatzal Mountains, Maricopa Co., Arizona, USA. 16 May 2010. Length is about 5 mm.
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Taking a close look at one of these bugs can include a risk of bloody injury! That's because they live among the sword-like leaves of agave where the tips and margins of the leaves are well armed. Small golden or darkening spots indicate this bug's presence, and indeed, few agaves in the Sonoran Desert or semi-arid habitats of Arizona are free of these insects.
