A beetle query (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus)

[Michael Gochfeld]

Apologies in advance. I am aware that this is not a Lep, but in my
regular surveys of butterfly nectar sources in my yard, I came across
this beetle.

 After 20 years of residence in a suburban New JERSEY yard we are
seeing     large numbers of Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus (Pennsylvania
Leather-wing beetles---common name from Audubon Society Field Guide).
                            They are in the family Cantharidae.

                            It is strange that I don't recall seeing
this here in previous years and I wonder how widespread this outbreak
is. They were first noted on August 18 when dozens of mating  pairs were
noted, mainly on Agastache plants. Still common now (Sept 5).

Michael Gochfeld


 
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