Pretty. Beetles can be beautiful.

And predacious.

Ask a few alder shrubs on Womack Creek which are losing their leaves to adult and larval alder beetles.

These grub with impunity, so it was not difficult to get photos of the adult, larva and pupa of the insects.

They love vegetables!

Until they’re pupated.

Had it not been for a recent curator added to the inaturalist.org experts, I might never had this identified. There is very little written about this species, although it apparently is a North American native.

If it contuinues its march along creeks and streams, eating alder leaves, it will soon be noticed.