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I thought I'd throw a beetle into this category. This cerambycid is one of the most impressive in N. America. It is usually 35 to 40 mm in length. The plicatum form has a green head. P. suaveolens suaveolens has a red head. P. schwarzi has black legs and turns metallic blue after death.

P. suaveolens is a species that I've occasionally collected from the trunks of Gum bumelia (Sideroxylon lanuginosum) in my backyard (usually in May or June). It seems to be more abundant in some years than others (though the same can be said for many other cerambycids).

Every specimen I've ever collected has turned blue after death, regardless of the drying method used.

If viewed from a certain angle, even living examples can appear blue instead of green -



Some close-ups -

58chevy wrote: ↑Wed Jun 01, 2022 7:25 pm I thought I'd throw a beetle into this category. This cerambycid is one of the most impressive in N. America. It is usually 35 to 40 mm in length. The plicatum form has a green head. P. suaveolens suaveolens has a red head. P. schwarzi has black legs and turns metallic blue after death.

Is this your work?
Brilliant if it is !!

Livingplanet3: None of my specimens ever turned blue. Where did you collect yours?

DaveUK: Yes, I painted it. I'd like to see more of your artwork also.

58chevy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 02, 2022 12:51 am Livingplanet3: None of my specimens ever turned blue. Where did you collect yours?

Just west of Fort Worth, TX.

58chevy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 02, 2022 12:51 am Livingplanet3:

DaveUK: Yes, I painted it. I'd like to see more of your artwork also.

It has a photographic quality about it. Really excellent work
What medium do you use?
I don't keep much of my art work for myself & I have not done any in a while.
Here is a water colour of an Australian lycaenid Hypochrysops delicia that I painted in 2016.

Another excellent painting, DaveUK! I use acrylics.

58chevy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 02, 2022 8:02 am Another excellent painting, DaveUK! I use acrylics.

Thank You.
That's a real skill you have there to get such fine detail with acrylics.