About Eurypepla calochroma (Blake, 1965)
Commonly known as the Geiger tortoise beetle, Eurypepla calochroma is a small beetle that reaches around one centimeter in length. Its larvae are small, brown, slimy, worm-like, and carry an accumulation of feces on their abdomen. Pupae of this species are shell-like. When adults first emerge from the pupal stage, they are round-shaped and overall yellowish. As adults mature, they develop a bright iridescent green color. Mature adults can change their color from their typical green to blue, purple, yellow, or brown in response to different light levels. This beetle is distributed in Southern Florida (from Palm Beach to Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties), the Bahamas, smaller Caribbean islands, and Central America. It lives in areas where Geiger Trees (Cordia sebastena) grow, including open woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, and gardens.
