This Spring, I had a horde of ladybug-like beetles chomping on my Coreopsis. I think they are Calligrapha californica coreopsivora -- AKA the Coreopsis beetle, but it would be useful to be able to find out more about their biology so I might be able to control them using integrated pest management techniques. However, I am unable find any good biological information of this insect. I eventually just started picking them out with tweezers, but their ability to reproduce or come in from unknown sources finally defeated me and they overwhelmed the two Coreopsis plants. Does anyone have any information on these or could they point me towards some literature that might discuss the biology of these pests?
Hmmm... If you don't get any satisfactory answers here, you might try tracking down and sending an email to the fellow who identified them in this thread on bugguide, John R. Watts.
I agree that it is certainly similar to Acalymma vittata, except that they were selectively chewing on the Coreopsis (and in very large numbers), not the cucumber or any other cucurbit. Given the numbers I saw, I'm sure they'll be back next year, so perhaps I'll take another run at them then.
Years later, a friend posts about having these bugs and my search leads me to this. Well, it would seem to me, as one who owns chickens, that one of my birds would elimnate the infestation pretty quick. But don't leave them with the plants too long. AFTER they eat the bugs, they will eat the young plants. Just saying. :-{)>
