Harmostes bug

From June 8th, 2015—a year ago today—along Old Spicewood Springs Road, here’s a mostly side view of a bug in the genus Harmostes, which crowned some horsemint flowers, Monarda citriodora. The imaginary sunset in the background, whose warm colors contrasted so pleasingly with the green of the bug and parts of the horsemint that it dominated, was a firewheel, Gaillardia pulchella.

Note: I’m away from home and will be for a while. Please understand if I’m late replying to your comments.

UPDATE: Out of the blue, on August 29, 2021, a contributor to bugguide.net identified another of my pictures showing this bug as Harmostes reflexulus.

© 2016 Steven Schwartzman