Plusiotis gloriosa

This is commonly thought to be the most beautiful beetle occurring in the United States.  It is often called the Silversmith Beetle (also sometimes the Glorious Jewel Beetle), referring to the silver stripes that alternate with green along the insect's wing-covers (elytra).  Some taxonomists believe the Genus Plusiotis should be re-classified into the Genus Chrysina.  I will retain the traditional name Plusiotis, for now.  This species occurs in pockets in Southern Arizona, S. New Mexico, and in Texas.  Curiously, I rare red morph is encountered in Texas, with a ratio of about 1 in 100.  Specimens I have collected in Arizona are typically green as in the top picture, but sometimes are more yellow-green as pictured below (an incandescent light vs. florescent light accounts for some of this differnce in the pictures, but not all).