Monthly Archives: April 2006

This leaf beetle is quite small (about 5mm) but its coloration really makes it stand out. When I went for a walk this morning, I found lots of them on the plants growing alongside the stream that runs through the … Continue reading →

Went for a walk through the fields and found literally hundreds of these dark metallic blue leaf beetles (hamushi) on the plants growing beside the stream. It’s obviously a common species. Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles): Fleutiauxia armata (kuwa-hamushi) [identification to … Continue reading →

We found a few of these tiny jewel beetles (tamamushi) on some leaves. They have white undulating lines across the elytra (hence the latin name “quadriundulatus”). Coleoptera: Buprestidae (jewel beetles) Coraebus quadriundulatus = shiroobi-nakaboso-tamamushi Location: Near Munakata Common Google map: … Continue reading →

There were so many of these cantharid beetles on the hedge parsley in the clearing (of the woods right near my home). It’s obviously an extremely common species around here! Coleoptera: Cantharidae: Podabrus heydeni (kubiboso joukai)

This female oil beetle (blister beetle) was a surprise find – just sitting there in the open (and unable to fly or run)! Obviously very confident that the caustic “oil” that exudes from her limbs would be adequate protection from … Continue reading →

I went out specifically to find longhorn beetles today, so I was very pleased to find this nice specimen on oilseed rape (nanohana). It’s a red bamboo longhorn beetle (benikamikiri). I’d wanted to take it home to show the kids, … Continue reading →

There were hundreds of these small flower beetles on the hedge parsley. The name in Japanese (hirata hanamuguri) means flat flower beetle, because this species has a relatively flat body. Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Nipponovalgus angusticollis (hirata hanamuguri)