Looking like a tiny piece of polished gemstone resting on a petal, Sermylassa halensis is a captivating leaf beetle (family: Chrysomelidae) first described by Carl Linnaeus himself back in 1767. Measuring a microscopic 4.4 to 7 millimeters long, this little creature pairs brilliant metallic green, blue, or coppery wing covers with a warm yellowish-orange back shield and head. These colorful gems spend their lives closely tied to bedstraw plants (Galium species). While adults munch on tender leaves during warm summer days, females deposit their eggs near the base of the plant before autumn arrives. The eggs survive the harsh winter chill tucked safely near the soil, hatching in spring so the young larvae can feed, grow, and emerge as a new generation of shiny adults under the summer sun! I came across this stunning little beetle on a sun-drenched meadow in Sweden, where it was peacefully soaking up the warm rays right on top of a blooming flower!