Bicycling along the road to Point Dick, a jewel like bug is walking across the road. Upon further examination, it reflects a candy-apple shimmer of green to gold to orange, depending on how the light strikes the shell. Like a tiny leopard in shining armor.
It is quite small, less than 2 centimeters in length. Not knowing what I was looking at, I consulted the library at Smithsonian Vembo Lab and discovered this is a bug, not a beetle. Bugs have sucking mouth parts, not chewing mouth parts, if anyone was wondering. Also they have juveniles that resemble the adults, though smaller and without wings, unlike beetles that start out as grubs, usually underground.
Rainbow Shield bugs feed on fruits and plant juices like nectar and sap.
david korte photographs 
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