An Indian forest ranger shared a video of the golden tortoise beetles, spectacular insects that look like small jewels
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himUntil recently, very few were aware of the golden tortoise beetle, a very particular beetle of the Chrysomelids family. This insect, now made famous by a video, looks like a little gem.
Nature is full of wonderful beings and among these there is certainly the golden turtle beetle (Aspidimorpha sanctaecrucis), also known as the golden beetle, an insect found mainly in some areas of Southeast Asia.
The name derives from its shell, which resembles that of a turtle, but which appears to be decorated with a golden and transparent pattern which makes this insect extremely sparkling.
Its wings are protected under this hard shell and its color can vary depending on the insect's hydration and the season of the year.
Not only that, these beetles have a unique defense mechanism: when disturbed, they take on a reddish brown color. They can also pretend to be dead and even adhere to leaves and other surfaces, thus avoiding being eaten by predators.
A video shared on Twitter by a forest ranger in India made this special insect known to a large number of users.
Sometimes, all that glitters is gold.
The Golden Tortoise Beetle found in the Southeastern Asia.
?: Thokchom Sony pic.twitter.com/nGb1gh7sQ0
- Susanta Nanda IFS (@ susantananda3) March 8, 2021
The video of a few seconds, which shows these insects so spectacular that they seem almost fake, then went viral.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by CSIRO (@csirogram)
Sources: India Today / Twitter
Read also:
- 'Bright' beetle discovered in Peru's rainforest
- The very rare golden cat photographed for the first time in Tanzania
