Meet the Beetles

a.k.a. The Fab Two

This will be a small post, just like its subject matter!

Coincidentally(?), during the week of April 16-22 both last year and this year, I saw brightly colored beetles with intricate patterns, and as a result I HAD to feature them in my Perpetual Journal. Yes, “HAD to”. No, I don’t have any choice in these matters. Ha. 😁

Perpetual Journal, week of Apr. 16-22: Ornate Checkered Beetle on Engelmann Prickly Pear Flower (2024); Ocotillo in Bloom and Iron Cross Blister Beetle (2023)

I saw this year’s amazingly patterned beetle, a yellow & black Ornate Checkered Beetle (with an iridescent head!), on one of our Engelmann Prickly Pear flowers. A few days later I checked another Engelmann Prickly Pear for Ornate Checkered Beetles and discovered both the yellow & black AND the red & black varieties on that plant! How exciting! 🤩 Very cool!

Last year during this same week Hubby & I saw a red, yellow & black Iron Cross Blister Beetle. The colors of this beetle were so saturated that of course I HAD to illustrate it for my Perpetual Journal.

"The question is not what you look at, but what you see."

- Henry David Thoreau

I hope you’re seeing tiny wonders in nature, wherever you are in the world!

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