Clavate Tortoise Beetle (adult)
48
Stephane publish photo
The Clavate Tortoise Beetle, is a North American beetle belonging to the Cassidinae subfamily. Its dome-shaped body, with golden or coppery reflections, resembles a turtle shell. But the most surprising thing? Its larva makes a “fecal shield” out of its excrement, which it carries on its back to ward off predators—a unique defensive strategy in the...