Flower Buprestid
Acmaeodera decipiens ?
Observed at Granite Mountain near Prescott, Arizona, USA. 14 Sept. 2014. This one is on a flower head of Rag-leaf Bahia.
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Many, many species of Acmaeodera can be found in Arizona. The best place to find them is on flowers where they feed on pollen or the petals. Most are about 7 to 10mm long with hardened elytra (first pair of wings). The head is distinctly blunt and the posterior tapered. Intricate patterns of yellow and/or red on shiny black make for very attractive insects. They are a favorite of collectors and photographers. The immature stage is a wood-boring grub to be found inside dead or dying branches of oaks, mesquites or other trees.