Diet

• Adults: Primarily feed on leaves, flowers, pollen and tender plant tissues. Many species are attracted to fresh foliage and flowers in sunny conditions.

• Larvae: Wood-boring, developing in the stems, branches and trunks of woody plants, particularly weakened or recently dead material.

• Larval feeding contributes to the breakdown and recycling of woody plant material.

Range

• Lampetis is a primarily Neotropical genus of jewel beetles, occurring from the southern United States through Mexico, Central America and South America.

• Mexico supports numerous species, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions.

• Zihuatanejo occurrence: Occasional to fairly common, depending on species and season. Suitable habitat is widespread around Zihuatanejo, particularly in tropical dry forest and areas with abundant woody vegetation.

Habitat

• Found in tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, tropical woodland, scrub, forest edges, clearings and secondary vegetation.

• Adults are often encountered on sun-exposed foliage, flowers and tree trunks.

• Larvae develop inside branches, stems and trunks, particularly where wood has been weakened by drought, injury or other stress.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 10–30 mm (0.4–1.2 in), depending on species.

• Body elongate and somewhat wedge-shaped, with the hard, sculptured exoskeleton characteristic of Buprestidae.

• Many species are strikingly coloured, with metallic green, blue, bronze, copper or reddish markings.