Chrysochus auratus – Dogbane Leaf Beetle
At first glance one might mistake the dogbane leaf beetle for a creature of the tropical jungle, an exotic jewel sought after by the most discerning of collectors. But no. It’s a rather common beetle in northeastern North America, where it feeds on plants in the Dogbane family Apocynaceae. I photographed this one a few years ago on a rainy summer day in upstate New York.
photo details: Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x macro lens on a Canon D60
ISO 100, f/13, 1/200 sec, flash diffused through tracing paper