NOTES ON ACMAEODERA PULCHELLA, Hbst

Abstract

The common species of Acmaeodera, A. pulchella Hbst., which is marked with shining bronze-black and bright yellow, assimilates well in color with the flowers of Rudbeckia hirta L., so abundant along the edges of cultivated fields, upon which this Buprestid is found. The dark parts of the beetle, which are after an etched pattern, blend well with the rich dark stigmata of the flower, as the beetle lies next to these; while the bright yellow parts easily pass unnoticed in the inside border of the yellow corolla. It is noticeable that these flower-frequenting species are found chiefly on the flowers whose colors suit them best for protection; in fact the insects seem to have been modified in color to suit the flowers they live on. This species is seldom found upon any other flowers than those of Rudbeckia hirta L. I have once taken it upon the flowers of tansy, once upon a partially yellowed leaf of Œnothera, once upon a high dandelion flower, twice upon the orange-red flowers of Asclepias tuberosa L., and once flying about some of the many flower-bunches of a clump of sumachs. These are the only exceptions that I have noticed, and are but isolated instances.