of the highly toxic larvae of Chrysomelidae

genus Diamphidia. The San Bushmen

collect the larvae and pupae of Diamphidia

by digging under the leaf beetle’s host

plant, to poison their arrowheads for

hunting. The parasitic Lebistina larvae

concentrate the poison, and the San

consider them a preferable source of

poison, when they can find them

market value. Another harpaline that has become

a pest of crops, such as wheat and barley, is the large,

black Zabrus tenebrioides, which has adapted to feed on

seeds. The adults climb up stems at night and eat the

developing grain, often stripping the crop in steppe

areas of Central and Eastern Europe. The larvae

also feed on crops, often eating the sprouts. These

pest species, however, are the exception.

above | Anthia thoracica (tribe Anthiini)

From tropical Africa, this beetle can

overcome large prey, including small reptiles,

with its sharp, powerful mandibles.