At the tip of a green leaf that still looks very young, there is a cucurbit leaf beetle standing gracefully enjoying the gentle morning breeze. Look at the color of this beetle, it is very beautiful, copper orange. When hit by the reflection of sunlight, its body sparkles, which looks like a golden flash that is almost magical. Very beautiful.
Not only that, but look at its long and fine antennae standing upright like a wifi pole, as if it was listening to a forest whisper that can only be heard by those who are at one with nature. He continued to stay there without moving at all. This is the first time I have found an insect that is very strong in staying still. Not a single part of his body moved. Most likely it was a clever trick to protect himself from enemies.
To make this beetle look stunning on my camera screen, not only the details of its body, but also the right light and background are needed. The soft sunlight and fresh green background managed to frame the beetle perfectly with a calm nuance.
In Latin, this beetle is known as aulacophora indica, which is one of the beetles from the cucurbitaceae family. This beetle is also known as a major pest of pumpkin, cucumber and melon plants. I found this beetle in a small bush not far from the melon garden.
| Latin name | Aulacophora indica |
|---|---|
| Observation date | 28 Jun, 2025 |
| Camera used | realme 7 Pro |
| Photographers | @reachdreams |
| Location | Aceh, Indonesia |
| Link to original community |
|---|
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/293282972
| Latitude | Longitude | Map |
|---|---|---|
| 4.695135 | 96.7493993 | https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=4.695135&mlon=96.7493993 |
