Science
28 Jun 12
Originally posted by AThousandYoungHow about these pictures of the golden tortoise beetles;
http://www.buzzfeed.com/samir/golden-tortoise-beatle-is-too-pretty-to-squash
http://www.google.co.uk/[WORD TOO LONG]
I particularly like these ones:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oystershred/7138953597/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alpo430/2304452234/
there are a few more there that I particularly like but cannot seem to isolate their sub-links.
They can also change their colour!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_tortoise_beetle
“...They can change color, looking initially like tiny jewels, or golden ladybugs, but can alter the reflectivity of the cuticle so the outer layers become clear, revealing a ladybug type of red coloring with black spots. This color change is accomplished by microscopic valves controlling the moisture levels under the shell. Various populations of this beetle also have black markings obscuring the underlying colors to various degrees, and it is this variation in appearance that has led to the use of multiple names for this species. “