Sunflower with matching beetle

[justjoem]

I am continuously amazed by the mimicry seen in insects.
http://justjoem.smugmug.com/photos/105198311-L.jpg

[Omri Alon]

Great shot :D I love that camoflauge :)

[LordV]

Great capture- wonder if it only feeds on sunflowers ?
Brian V.

[racketman]

Nice shot with matching BG but this looks like a Longhorn beetle and likely feeds on a variety of flowers.

[Action_Man]

It looks to me like a Goldenrod Soldier Beetle - nicely captured :) ...

[justjoem]

Thanks for the comments guys. I googled goldenrod soldier beetle and found several pictures that indeed look exactly like this fellow. They are generally ½ inch or less and are yellow to orange. This one is about 7mm. They are apparently common pollinators of sunflowers. Several of them populate the sunflowers that have come up around the bird feeder. They have been very difficult to photograph as they scurry to the back of the sunflower if approached at all.

[racketman]

ah I stand corrected - this is a species confined to the americas it seems. i had it assumed it was related to this fellow I took in the park but I see now thorax is completely different.Strangalia maculata, a Longhorn beetle.

http://k47.pbase.com/o4/33/541333/1/52708689.Strangaliamaculatadaylit.jpg

we do have other species of Soldier beetles of course like this fellow Rhagonycha fulva?:

http://k43.pbase.com/o4/33/541333/1/52708682.soldierbeetleiso800jly.jpg