This attractive beetle was found inside Glenn’s house. Always a nice change of pace, considering some insects are a challenge to find or photograph. You’ll notice that the top side of the thorax is yellow with three round or oblong spots and the rear top of the yellow head has a spot. Many also have longitudinal stripes on the wing covers, but not this particular species. Adults and larvae are plant-eaters and feed on leaves and flowers of a single plant species or genus in the aster or waterleaf families. They range across North America in weedy fields and brushy areas. And as an interesting aside, “pregnant” or gravid females have remarkably distended abdomens …check out an example here.

Photo by: Glenn Marangelo on 5/8/21 in Missoula, MT