tortoise beetle

American  

[tawr-tuhs beet-l] / ˈtɔr təs ˌbit l /

noun

1. any of several turtle-shaped leaf beetles, as Chelymorpha cassidea argus tortoise beetle, or milkweed tortoise beetle, which resembles the ladybird beetle and feeds primarily on bindweed and milkweed.

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tortoise beetle British  

noun

1. a metallic-coloured leaf beetle of the genus Cassida, in which the elytra and terga cover the body like a shell

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Etymology

Origin of tortoise beetle

First recorded in 1705–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tortoise beetle

Golden tortoise beetle larvae have a posterior appendage called an anal fork that they can hang over themselves like an awning.

From National Geographic ● Jun. 23, 2018

When a predator approaches, golden tortoise beetle larvae will gather into a defensive circle, "like a herd of bison in a ring," Chaboo says.

From National Geographic ● Jun. 23, 2018

Credit: magickcanoe.com The golden tortoise beetle, and some other species in its subfamily, is able to change colours due to an optical illusion.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 4, 2012

Barrows noted how previous observations of golden tortoise beetle colours from other scientsists were extremely varied, ranging from brownish and purplish to bright orange or gold.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 4, 2012

Just how this illusion could be produced was discovered in 2007 by researchers from University of Numar in Belgium, who studied the very similar gold-to-red colour change in the Panamanian tortoise beetle.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 4, 2012