Squash Beetle. Epilachna borealis. On cantaloupe.


One of the two ladybird beetles that infest vegetables, the other being the Mexican bean beetle.

The insect and its spiny larvae eat the leaves of squash, cantaloupe, and other cucurbits. An unusual characteristic of this insect is that it circles the leaf area in which it is going to feed. In our observations, no feeding was observed until this circling had taken place.