It is about 1/4 inch long and is rarely seen as a pest. Measuring only about l/4 inch, adult tortoise beetles are odd little bugs with several interesting adaptations that keep them safe from predators. Purchase a commercial, ready-to-use insecticidal soap product or make your own solution by mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid soap for every 1 quart of water. It even looks wet and sticky, even though it is not. Tortoise beetle belongs to the subordinate division of the Cassidinae family. This is because their body extends sideways and forward. The golden tortoise beetle is a solid gold color. Over 3,000 varieties of beetles of this family resemble turtles. Dear Michelle, You are being troubled by the larvae of a Tortoise Beetle, most likely a Clavate Tortoise Beetle. Larva: The larva is a typical tortoise beetle type, but very unlike most other beetle larvae. Your observation about the baggage is correct. The last abdominal segment has a special "fecal fork" which permits the attachment of dried fecal matter. Habitat and Food Source(s): This beetle and the larvae feed on foliage of anacua in south Texas; while other tortoise beetles feed on sweet potato and related plants.
The length of a tortoise beetle ranges from 4 to 12 mm (below 0.5 inches) the larvae is also spiny. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), larva. (Solanaceae)” and tomatoes are in the family Solanaceae. Pictures 2 and 3 show the effect of their feeding on the leaves. Tortoise Beetle Larva. The tortoise beetle is a small, oval or round beetle of the order Coleoptera. Tortoise beetles range between 5 and 12 mm (less than 0.5 inch) in length, and the larvae are spiny. A tortoise beetle, Chelymorpha sp.
A remarkable little tortoise shell leaf beetle that mimics a bird dropping. Here is a BugGuide image. You may also compare your photo to this image posted to BugGuide.
Both adults and larvae of They are difficult to dislodge from their leaves. Dear Art, This is the larva of a Clavate Tortoise Beetle, Plagiometriona clavata, and the debris on its back is fecal matter and it thought to act as camouflage or protection for the larva.
However, the golden tortoise beetle is known to feed on the leaves of the sweet potato. Tortoise Beetle Facts. Tortoise beetle, (subfamily Cassidinae), any member of more than 3,000 beetle species that resemble a turtle because of the forward and sideways extensions of the body. Spraying soapy water on tomato plants kills tortoise beetle eggs and larvae while making the leaves inhospitable for adult insects. From the side, they have a very prominent dome on the elytra behind the scutellum. For example, tortoise beetles have hard wing covers that they can clamp down tightly against a leaf surface. According to BugGuide food plants include: “ground-cherries (Physalis), Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), and Solanum spp. Photo by Drees. These beetles feed on plants in the tomato family including Chinese Lantern.