Jewel Beetle

Description:
In Thailand there are over 300 different species of jewel beetles with a huge variation in color, ranging from bright metallic blue and green to black with small colored spots. The body is bullet­shaped and has 2 pairs of wings. Jewel beetles are extremely good flyers and can fly up to 50 km in a single day. These insects can range from 3 to 10 cm in size. The iridescence common to these beetles is not due to pigments in the skeleton, but instead due to a microscopic texture in their cuticle that selectively reflects specific frequencies of light.

Diet:
Jewel beetles are plant eaters and their diet consists of wood, pollen and nectar. They seem to prefer trees that are already stressed, rotting or suffering from a disease.