Golden tortoise beetle feeding, classification, habitat, morphology

Commonly known as the “golden beetle”,  Although these insects are sometimes so numerous that they cause catastrophic damage, they are often curious.

Scientific Name

Charidotella sexpunctata

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Coleoptera

Family: Chrysomelidae

Genus: Charidotella

Species: sexpunctata

Introduction

They have a round body shape and are the same size (about 5-6 mm long) as other common insects. Their bodies are swollen, flat areas at the edges, almost like a safari hat. When disturbed, they can be crushed near the top of the leaf, with all containers securely grounded to the ground, as if reverting to a turtle’s shell.

The color is wonderful and these insects can be a bar of shining gold. The golden tortoise may be similar to gold, while other dark colors are always present in the motley turtle. However, the color varies from one species to another and may appear red, or even red, from one insect to the next. The golden color disappears when the insect dies.

Distribution of Golden tortoise beetle

The golden tortoise beetle is common in eastern North America, western Iowa, and Texas. It is one of only three species of turtle bees found in Florida.

History of life and Habitat

Winter passes into adulthood, and insects migrate and gather to prepare crops for summer. The field conifer (Convolvulus arvensis) can be important in the first season because it is perennial and comes out in mid-spring.

The eggs are laid, and the growing worms feed on the leaves, creating holes of character between the leaves. Bee turtles are less commonly seen in adults and have other characteristics that make them difficult to detect.

They feed under the leaves, smooth, spinach insects with a long fork, which moves to the ends of the body. They also have an omnidirectional anus, often confused with the skin of an old ram, which they use to put their toes on their backs.

These “traffickers” then wear a type of portable umbrella that covers the body and helps protect potential enemies. When fully grown, they reproduce on the plant as they grow to their final shape. The stern stage is also covered with old worm skin and feces. Adults come out a week or two later and eat in late summer.

They do not reproduce at this time and then lie down and hide among the bedding or other protected areas. This golden tortoise beetle usually makes a shiny gold when it first appears on a plant, but it quickly turns into a pale pink insect. 

Depression can occur with an insect bite. This color change is achieved by imparting or attracting moisture to the surface of the exoskeleton. When wet, it creates an environment that looks good, but when not wet, the base colors will be visible.

Host Plants

These beetle can host potatoes and eggplant and main reason to damage to said crops.

Morphology

• Egg The creamy white eggs are in a golden brown ovary with 10-25 stacked membranes, each filled with three eggs. Eggs 1.5 to 2 mm long, long. The dimensions of the tech are 8-13 mm long and 8-10 cm wide.
• Larva like Small intestines (first to 3) are brown and 2 rows of 5 square black round spots on the chest and 7 rows of 2 small black spots on the abdomen. The thin spots are divided into seven lines and four colors as the caterpillar grows and the body turns a golden brown. The body is surrounded by black spikes. Larger worms are 7-10 mm in length and 3-5 mm in width.
• Pupa Color of the scalp has a darker shade on the edge of the body. The lateral columns of the head, the thorax, and the anterior part of the abdomen are reduced. The lateral columns of the abdomen are pressed directly on the posterior end. The number of points was reduced to two, in the upper extremity or the thoracic region, and 4-6 points at the end. Stern length 10-12 mm and width 5-7 mm.
• An adult is a medium and large gold tortoise belt, with a visible elytra growth of 10-13 mm long and 9-13 mm wide. Elytra has 4 broad black spots on the elytra of light extension and 19-23 small female spots and 15-17 small male spots with a dark golden median line.

Threats

Natural Enemies

The parasitic wasp Tetrastichuscassidus Burks and the flies Eucelatoriopsisdimmocki are known to attack golden beetle. Piercings such as damsel bugs, shield bugs, and Pentatomidae are deadly bugs. The “shield” carried by the larva applies to small animals, but larger animals, especially those with long beaks, do not disappoint. ^[1]Barrows, E. M. 1979. Life cycles, mating, and color change in tortoise beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae). Coleopterists Bulletin 33: 9–16 ^[2]https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/IN/IN14000.pdf

Facts about golden turtle beetle

• The golden turtle is famous for its beautiful golden color. This species changes its color when its elytra are dehydrated or dehydrated.
• It is also said that their color changes with each stage of life and during reproduction.
• The adult golden turtle beetle can communicate with other adults using chemicals called pheromones.
• They also use vibrations, noise, and even body odors to get to know each other.
• In this species, males and females have different body odors.
• They are generally considered second-generation insects just after butterflies. ^[3]Golden Tortoise Beetles July 2018.pdf (colostate.edu) ^[4]https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/408/2015/02/PLS-33-Golden-Tortoise-Beetle.pdf ^[5]For picture: By Ilona Loser – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9614864

Written by: Dr. Muhammad Mohsin Ahsan

Reviewed by:
Dr. Muhammad Tahir Ph.D. (PU)
Post Doctorate
American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA