Plague Soldier Beetle Chauliognathus lugubris

Watch for the striking yellow-orange stripe running behind this beetle's black thorax—a vivid contrast that makes it instantly recognizable. At just 15 millimeters long, it packs serious style into a compact package, with a flattened body and metallic olive-green wing covers that shimmer beautifully in light.

Native to Australia, this beneficial predator hunts smaller insects and lives up to its alternate names—the green soldier beetle and banana bug—hinting at the agricultural and tropical habitats where you'll find it working.