Insect Data

Names and Taxonomy

  • Common Names: Jewel Beetle
  • Synonyms: Acmaeodera sparsa
  • Order: Coleoptera (Beetles)
  • Family: Buprestidae (Metallic Wood-boring Beetles)
  • Genus Information: 34 species in NV, 60 in CA, 147 in US

Distribution

  • Distribution: Central America and North America
  • Seen: Mount Charleston
  • Habitat: Adults on blooming flowers in sunlit areas like woodland edges or meadows. Larvae live under the bark of trees.
  • Food: Adult beetles feed on foliage and nectar, while the larvae bore into the wood of trees and shrubs.

Photographs

Jewel Beetle (Acmaeodera rubronotata)

Mount Charleston