Rorschach Beetles (Family Chrysomelidae)
Chrysomelid beetles are vegetarians for their whole lives, eating a variety of plant tissues above and below the ground. Their numbers include some serious plant pests like the Colorado potato beetle and the asparagus beetle, and also some species that are used as biological controls. It’s a huge group, with almost 2,000 species in North America alone. Chrysomelids generally produce a single generation per year; most overwinter as adults and hit the ground running in spring.