Dicerca pugionata

In my recent post, Glades of Jefferson County, I discussed the occurrence on these glades of the strikingly beautiful Dicerca pugionata, a jewel beetle that breeds in the scraggly ninebark plants growing along the glades’ moist toeslopes. Adults of this species are normally encountered only during March/April and then again during September/October, so I wasn’t able to photograph them during this recent visit. I did, however, have on hand some slides that I took back in April 1987 – one of which has been scanned and added here as well as to the original post immediately above the photograph of the beetle’s host plant. The full-sized version of the scan is slightly lacking in clarity, nevertheless I think you’ll agree that its brilliant coppery color, distinctive dorsal sculpturing, and reddish elytral apices make this quite a lovely beetle!