The insects are full of wonders. Would you believe that one of such wonders is the golden coloration of the various bugs in the insect world? Such a golden color pattern is very unique and rare among insects.
Following is a list of 10 such golden insects from the world. Let us begin our discussion.
Golden Insects: 10 Bugs That Are Golden In Color
1) Golden Tortoise Beetle
Scientific Name: Charidotella sexpunctata
Our first insect on the list famously goes by the nickname “Goldbug”, native to America. These beetles have a shiny gold carapace with black spots visible on them. The Elytra is transparent and expands to cover the body and head. Their size is around 5 m to 7 mm on average.
You would be fascinated to know that these beetles can change their color from gold to reddish-brown when they feel disturbed or threatened. The larvae are not that striking in color as compared to the adults. Since these beetles belong to the Leaf beetle family, they mainly feed on plant foliage.
2) Golden Stag Beetle
Scientific Name: Allotopus moellenkampi
The exoskeleton is dark golden and very shiny in appearance. These beetles have large heads with sharp and large mandibles. There are a few black spots in the head region.
They can grow up to 9 centimeters. These beetles are generally found in various parts of Southeast Asia such as Columbia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Eastern India.
The larvae of these gold beetles usually grow in the woods and are found to be infected with a special type of white, inedible fungus called Kinshi fungi.
3) Golden Carpenter Ant
Scientific Name: Camponotus sericeus
These ants get their name due to their shimmering golden body. The legs are black which provides a contrasting look. They are quite small, around 0.5 inches.
These ants have strong mandibles, due to which they can capture or attack their prey by wounding them. Furthermore, they secrete a corrosive from their abdomen. Both these features are enough reasons to avoid disturbing them.
These ants have a mutualistic type of association with aphids. The ants protect the aphids, and in turn, the aphids release sweet secretions after they have eaten a leaf. This secretion is the favorite food of these ants.
4) Golden Longhorn beetle
Scientific Name: Agapanthia villosoviridescens
These beetles are also known as Golden-bloomed grey longhorn beetles. They have a glimmering golden and black color on their Elytra and thorax. The antennae are very large compared to the body and have black and greyish-white bands, which look like a zebra pattern.
These beetles are generally found in Southern and Central England. Their preferred habitat includes moist meadows and woody herbaceous plants.
5) Golden Jewel Scarab Beetle
Scientific Name: Chrysina resplendens
These beetles are extremely popular among the insect collector community, and they deserve to be so. Their entire body has a smooth, glossy, and shiny golden appearance.
The beetle we have taken for discussion is usually found in the forests of Panama and Costa Rica. According to scientists, these beetles have specialized nano-structure in their exoskeleton due to which they can reflect different wavelengths of light selectively, which results in shiny colors.
They mainly feed on foliage and are harmless to humans.
6) The Golden Moth
Scientific Name: Tineola bisselliella
These moths have several other names such as Common clothes moth and webbing cloth moth, since they are usually found inside clothes, especially their larvae feed on wool, feathers, and other cloth materials.
When light falls over the forewings, it appear glittering gold-like. The hind wings are greyish-white. Their head is tinged with brown and sometimes appear golden also.
These golden moths can be found in various parts of Britain and Australia.
7) Great Golden Digger Wasp
Scientific Name: Sphex ichneumoneus
Generally found in Canada to southern America, these wasps have a combination of colors. Their abdomen and legs are orangish-red, with the tip of the abdomen being black. Whereas the thorax and head region are covered with numerous golden hairs.
Although these wasps might look intimidating, they are harmless and would not sting if they are extremely provoked. They are ground nesters and solitary in nature.
8) Golden German Roaches
Scientific Name: Blattella germanica
These small cockroaches are a huge nuisance in the United States. They are most commonly found inside human habitations, hotels, unclean restaurants. They can be recognized by their golden-brown body color and two parallel black bands in the pronotum region, which is the part just behind the head.
Even though they possess transparent wings they usually prefer to run instead. These golden insects are responsible for spreading pathogens of various diseases that can be very harmful to us.
9) The Summer Salt Marsh Mosquito
Scientific Name: Aedes Dorsalis
As the name suggests, these blood-sucking insects are found in the salty marshes of the coastal region of California. They appear bright golden with black bands on the legs.
These mosquitoes are very aggressive and would not miss a chance to bite you! They are daytime-biting mosquitoes. March and October are the months when they are usually observed.
The females are usually found in the green fields, however, the males prefer open fields or bushes.
10) Golden Praying Mantis
Scientific Name: Hierodula venosa
Our final member of the list belongs to the Mantidae family. They have a golden body color, unlike the other group of green mantis.
These mantises have a length of around 4 inches. They are mostly found in lowland areas, such as jungles, although sometimes they are also located in high-altitude areas.
Some people keep these small insects as pets due to their beautiful appearance and they can act as pest controllers since they feed on small insects. These mantises are very shy and docile and won’t cause humans any harm. Their large eyes help in perceiving their surroundings.
Conclusion
Generally, people do not like insects as sometimes they can harbor dangerous diseases which are the reasons for many sicknesses. But colorful insects, especially gold-colored beetles are favored by many insect collectors. Often, auctions are conducted to sell these gold insects.
The gold coloration has become an inspiration for many artists and decorators who create many showpieces based on these golden insects.
References
Wikipedia, Insects fandom, Kidzone, Nature Spot, Phys.Org, Butterfly Conservation, InsectLab, Pestworld, Napa mosquito, Bantam.earth
Hi everyone. I am Sagnik. Biology has always fascinated me since my school days and that interest motivated me to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology and a Master’s degree in Biotechnology. I learned a lot of new interesting facts and information regarding the biological world we are part of. After obtaining my degree, I started working as a biology teacher through which I am able to teach students the various concepts that I have learned. Apart from my love for this subject, my passion lies in music, and I teach guitar as well. Photography, Reading comics, Drawing, and video editing are some of my other hobbies. I welcome you to a journey with me, where I will share my knowledge and excitement for the living world through my writings with you all.