Dogbane Leaf Beetles Mating

I caught these Dogbane Leaf Beetles mating last July. 

Considering that I don't see lots of Dogbane Leaf Beetles (though they do have their hotspots), I have caught them mating fairly often. Note that they (and at least some other beetles) mate in this position, very different from the butterflies/moths/flies that I've seen, but similar to the way mantises and grasshoppers breed.

When they're not breeding, there's probably not a good way for us humans to differentiate between the sexes of Dogbane Leaf Beetles.

July 14, 2021 at Duke Farms
Photo 148187776, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)



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