Lilioceris lilii, colloquially known as the Lily leaf beetle, Scarlet or Red lily beetle and under some other names, is a leaf beetle that eats the leaves, stem, buds and flower of lilies, fritillaries and other members of the family Liliaceae.
Similar species: Beetles
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comments (12)
Ahw ... didn't notice just now, but I think this is the double one (I'll add a note to that effect):
Posted 5 years ago, modified 5 years ago
"Lily leaf beetle larvae (Lilioceris lilii) hide under a shield of their own making. They use a material that is always abundant: feces. "Feces" as in "poop". They deposit their feces on their backs using their long, dorsal, flexible anus. Gooey, gross, and revolting? Maybe. But, fecal shields provide fantastic camouflage, deter predators, prevent desiccation, and act as sunscreen for the larva. So, why use poop? Well, they will always have to poop, so they will never run out of building supplies to expand upon or repair their shields. Most predators will pass the larvae by - either repulsed by or unaware of the larva lurking underneath the juicy pile of poo. It's a beneficial strategy for a larva to employ considering they are slow moving, vulnerable insects that predators would love to gobble up. And after all, waste is a terrible thing to waste. {Spotted by JungleDragon moderator, Pudding4brains} #JungleDragon" Posted 5 years ago