Flower Buprestid
Acmaeodera amabilis
Observed in Sunnyside Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, USA. 2 Sept. 2012.
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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 10 mm 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.