Friday Beetle Blogging: Phlox Stem Borer

Here's a boring beetle.

That is, the larvae bore. They make their living carving tunnels through stems and consuming plant tissue. This pair was hanging out in the phlox in our back yard, apparently plotting the demise of our summer flower garden.

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photo details:
Canon EOS 7D camera

Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x macro lens

ISO 100, f/13, 1/250sec

diffused twin flash

Thanks to Rob Mitchell for the ID.