A member of the subfamily
Galerucinae (Skeletonizing Leaf Beetles and Flea Beetles), the Spotted Cucumber Beetle (
Diabrotica undecimpunctata) can cause great damage to crops such as cucumber and other squashes, corn, and soy, as well as to garden plants such as hibiscus and rose. They can also transmit diseases such as bacterial wilt. The subspecies
D. undecimpunctata howardi is found here in the South. The 12 black spots on the yellow elytra, as well as the black head, legs, and antennae, are diagnostic markings for this subspecies, though in my specimen there was some yellow present. I found it probing the inside of an Orange Day Lily (
Hemerocallis fulva). Note: in the larval stage this beetle is known as Southern Corn Rootworm.
References:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/456
http://www.texasento.net/undecimpunctata.htm
http://www.eppo.int/QUARANTINE/insects/Diabrotica_undecimpunctata/DIABUN_ds.pdf (EPPO data)
http://cagardenweb.ucdavis.edu/?blogtag=Diabrotica%20undecimpunctata&blogasset=42184 (western subspecies)
http://entoweb.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/southerncornrootworm.htm
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/hortanswers/detailproblem.cfm?PathogenID=111 (2 species of cucumber beetles)
http://web.entomology.cornell.edu/shelton/veg-insects-ne/pests/spcb.html
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