Charles Ian Chun: What went wrong? -- Blog -- 18 June 2011

18 June 2011

Oh, those fancy-pants Scutelleridae!

After an early dinner with the in-laws, Solip pointed out a peculiar-looking bug. We were struck by the radiant, iridescent colors. I was happy to have my camera with me. Later, a search for "rainbow beetle" led me to a picture of a very groovy Volkswagon and, eventually, to the possible identity of this stunning insect. This is either a Rainbow Shield Bug (Calidea dregii), Metallic Shield Bug (Scutiphora pedicellata) or something related. I think it's safe to say it's of the family Scutelleridae. It seemed friendly enough, crawling around my father-in-law's hand without causing any trouble (no bites or stink bombs). These or similar bugs apparently have been causing trouble in Africa, ruining seeds of important crops. Anyway, interesting stuff!

Taken today near Gwangju City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea

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