Unidentified Beetle

[ian_g]

Hi all,

My 12-year old niece took a photo on her iPhone of an insect that she wanted the ID of. I've looked through several books and have been unable to identify it, so I asked that she email it over. Trouble is, it's not of good enough quality to post here so I'm hoping my detailed description may be enough to determine what it is.

I'm afraid I don't know exact size but it looks of similar shape to a soldier beetle but it has a pointed abdomen, similar to Devil's Coach-horse.

The head and thorax are completely black, the legs are black and orange, the tarsus being orange. There are stripes of orange down either side of five of the eight sections of the abdomen, with strange spines protruding from the five sections; these almost meet at the very top, almost like a mirrored upside-down L shape. The lower three sections are totally black.

The final distinctive detail has to be on the fourth and fifth sections (as if you're counting down from the bottom of the thorax). On these two sections are two spots, central to the section, and form a block of four spots, two up, two down.

As I said, I'd be happy to post but since the file is less than 400Kb, it wouldn't be accepted in the Gallery.

Hope you are able to identify from my description!

Many thanks,
Ian

[ian_g]

Hi all, again!

I've done a Google search, 'black and orange beetle with spines' and a Lady Beetle Larva - Harmonia axyridis, looks virtually identical to my description, unless of course, someone comes along with an exact identification.

Many thanks,
Ian

[JRsbugs]

Ian, you don't have to post the pic in the main Gallery. Use the Image Library, they go straight in and you can choose a category such as Unidentified Invertebrates. There is a link at the top 'Images' where you will find it.

You then use the link on the right 'Library images', a single click on the pic will place the link in your post.

If you can give such a detailed description the photo can't be that bad anyway.

Janet