Golden tortoise beetle

Gardens, fields, and meadows; most commonly found on the leaves of morning glories and sweet potato vines.

Herbivorous; both adults and larvae feed on the leaves of plants in the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae).

Notable for its ability to change color from brilliant metallic gold to reddish-brown when disturbed or during mating. Larvae have an 'anal fork' used to hold a 'fecal shield' as a defense against predators.

Generally harmless to humans. While they cause aesthetic damage to garden plants by chewing holes in leaves, they rarely cause significant economic damage to crops.