Blue Milkweed Beetle (Chrysochus cobaltinus)
This beetle has a cobalt-blue exoskeleton. Both sexes range from 6–9 millimeters in length, with clubbed antenna. Its body is oval in shape. Both adults and larvae feed on milkweed plants. Adults typically feed on the foliage and flowers of the newly developed milkweed plant. When a large community appears, they consume a large portion of the leaf tissue from the plant, which causes significant damage to the plant. The adults eat holes in the leaves of milkweed , appearing in spring as the days become warmer and the milkweed leaves begin to develop. During the spring they disperse in large numbers on various plants within the same area of distribution. Adults emerge in early summer and persist on milkweed plants in patches for approximately six weeks. Females are highly polyandrous . The adult females lay their eggs on the leaves of the milkweed plants; the larva consumes the leaf tissue between the veins, leaving nothing but a skeleton. On occasion, the l...