What's this beetle? ID please!

Widowman10

Arachno WIDOW
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2007
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4,212
OK, first off, i have no picture. sorry, my cam sucks...:(
but i'll try anyway, here goes:

entire body length: 1 inch
body width: 6-7 mm
head and thorax about 4 mm wide
head and thorax: shiny reddish/purple color
underside of body and legs: shiny blueish/green
elytra do not completely cover abdomen
antenna have 11 segments
abdomen has 5 segments (best i can tell on both numbers)

there's the facts. sorry again for no pic. can anyone tell by description what it is??
 

Widowman10

Arachno WIDOW
Old Timer
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Jan 25, 2007
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4,212
The tarsal formula would be very helpful.
let's see, tarsal formula (best i can tell with a 10x magnifier) is: 5-5-4
also gives off a very faint foul smell if that helps.
 
Last edited:

Widowman10

Arachno WIDOW
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2007
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ok, i actually think it's a blister beetle. that was my first inclination and after doing some keys and looking at some pictures, i'm pretty sure it's in the blister beetle family. the color, however, is nothing like the other blister beetles i've seen before... kinda actually matches the color of the fiery searcher. kinda. :D

edit: sorta matches these pics: http://bugguide.net/node/view/70881
but the pronotum is bright red and the elytra are not as green and shiny. the underside is bright green though.
 

beetleman

Arachnoking
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Jan 5, 2005
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i'm wondering if it is a green pubescent ground beetle(man do they stink!!{D )chlaenius sericeus? they are very awesome beetles used to keep em awhile ago.
 

Widowman10

Arachno WIDOW
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2007
Messages
4,212
i'm wondering if it is a green pubescent ground beetle(man do they stink!!{D )chlaenius sericeus? they are very awesome beetles used to keep em awhile ago.
nah, doesn't really resemble a ground beetle besides the colors. colors are similar, but everything else points to blister. body shape, tarsal formula, etc. thanks a lot everyone for the help!!
 
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