# ID please (w/pic) Sudden localized beetle (?) popl. explosion **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 24, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-please-w-pic-sudden-localized-beetle-popl-explosion/789787 "2017-06-24T20:01:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-please-w-pic-sudden-localized-beetle-popl-explosion/789787/1 "2017-06-24T20:01:33Z")
Went out to do a bit of gardening and found an absolute orgy of small iridescent flying beetles or similar insect, right where my (very belated) sunflowers ought to go! Any ide what they are? I’m in N Tx if that helps. [https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170624/ed33e37ea5208796a596f18c5f45c030.jpg](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170624/ed33e37ea5208796a596f18c5f45c030.jpg) [https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170624/f5074f34c2da6edbabe6c48c56790706.jpg](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170624/f5074f34c2da6edbabe6c48c56790706.jpg) tip-tapping away by phone, but why would you care? ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-please-w-pic-sudden-localized-beetle-popl-explosion/789787/2 "2017-06-24T20:06:12Z")
A couple of individual portraits including one cheeky bastard who landed on my hand. If I can ID them I’d have a sense of what attrracted them, whether or not they’re problematic etc. … or I can ask you folks. 😃 [https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170624/1c29ea951fe7012e7c618fbff68cb0eb.jpg](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170624/1c29ea951fe7012e7c618fbff68cb0eb.jpg) [https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170624/9438bc0623ccd4369dcd9b25b691a010.jpg](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170624/9438bc0623ccd4369dcd9b25b691a010.jpg) tip-tapping away by phone, but why would you care? ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-please-w-pic-sudden-localized-beetle-popl-explosion/789787/3 "2017-06-24T20:20:16Z")
No idea what they are but you’re right about it being an “absolute orgy”! So many beetles and looks like they’re having quite the feast! ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-please-w-pic-sudden-localized-beetle-popl-explosion/789787/4 "2017-06-24T22:08:01Z")
I’m no entomologist, but looks like _[Lebia viridis](http://bugguide.net/node/view/20882)_ - a colorful foliage ground beetle. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-please-w-pic-sudden-localized-beetle-popl-explosion/789787/5 "2017-06-25T16:17:50Z")
If that’s not it, then it’s certainly a close look-alike. tip-tapping away by phone, but why would you care? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-please-w-pic-sudden-localized-beetle-popl-explosion/789787/6 "2017-06-25T17:52:57Z")
I was thinking [flea beetle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altica), either this genus or a [related one](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flea_beetle). ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-please-w-pic-sudden-localized-beetle-popl-explosion/789787/7 "2017-06-25T19:42:03Z")
Well, we’re in the process of eradicating fleas (inside the house) so LOL on the wordplay alone. I dunno, both suggested beetles look similar to each other (and to yesterday’s orgy attendees, all of whom have scattered & disappeared under the sternly disapproving glare of the Sunday morning sunshine that spoils so much debauchery.) tip-tapping away by phone, but why would you care?