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Future Generation

These are Golden Tortoise Beetles larvae. Last year in lockdown I keenly observed the detailed step by step development process from laying of eggs to larvae stage and finally adult. A female beetle lays a cluster of eggs on back side of leaf. Then a spiny, light yellow colour with black dots on its back larvae emerges from eggs. The larvae then release the shell and hold it close to the anus to escape the predator. They ate major portion of the leaf in growing from larvae stage to adult.

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