Thistle Tortoise Beetle | Hainault Forest

Thistle Tortoise Beetle

Cassida rubiginosa

TQ4792 05/07/2024 ©Raymond Small

A green-bodied beetle (6-8mm) with brown markings on and around the scutellum. There are similar looking species; this one lives on creeping thistle, but not always easy to see due to its relatively small size and ability to blend in well when sitting flush against a thistle. The specific name rubiginosa refers to the beetle's ability to produce a red liquid from the head. From egg to adult may take as little as 5 or 6 weeks with the adult lifespan being about 20 months.

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