Beetle ID?

[GardenGeisha]

Can anyone identify this beetle for me? Thanks!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dolor_ipsum/4937609063/

 

[GardenGeisha]

And how about this one??

http://bugguide.net/images/raw/ER0H...RKHMZDL6RQHPROL4RCL4ROL2RTL0Z2LJLELRZ6LQR.jpg

 

[digitS']

I think it is . .

. this one:

(click)

 

[digitS']

Or, maybe .

. . this one:

(click)

 

[desertlady]

I hope you dont have a lot of those beetles!!It seems to like to eat up plants!

 

[GardenGeisha]

Good work, DigitS'! How did you figure that out so fast? I think it is, indeed, the nymph of the red and black Border Plant Bug. So beautiful! I'm impressed with your skill at entymological identification!

 

[GardenGeisha]

I don't have these bugs, DesertLady. I am helping a friend ID them. They are on her contorted filbert. She lives in Washington State. We do have a lot of their cousins here, the Box Elder Bugs, but I rather like them. Once while living in Iowa I had an infestation of them in my basement apartment and they did stain a quilt with red dots, but other than that, I haven't had problems with them. They are quite attractive, I think.