michaelpirrello's Identifications

Spotted on a small flowering rubber rabbit brush, in the shade, nestled amongst some red/black-marbled rocks. Relatively sheltered from winds, due to the low profile of the plant and the surrounding rock features that served as a windbreak.

TMCC garden bed: between beds 7 and 8, southern outskirts of bed 8

Size: approx. 1/2 cm
Color: black/grey, matte red hind end with a black diamond-shaped patch at posterior end
Anatomy: 6 legs, 2 large processes (antennae?) extending from head, shell/body relatively flat and elongated with a pointed rear
Behavior: appeared to be feeding off of the flowering tips of the brush, spending periods at each flower before retreating down the stalk to the inner reaches of the plant before climbing to the distal end of another stalk of the brush and eating from the flowering ends. Not particularly fast in its movements.

Climate stats:
Temp. 95 F
Wind. approx 8mph with gusts
Cloud cover: none, clear skies