Flea beetles are small, jumping members of the leaf beetle family (Chrysomelidae), belonging to the tribe Alticini within the subfamily Galerucinae. Their enlarged hind femora contain a spring-like mechanism that allows them to leap powerfully. These beetles are phytophagous, meaning they feed on plants: adults graze on the surface of leaves, while the larvae of most species live in the soil and feed on fine root hairs. This species, Aspicela bourcieri, is a strikingly colorful flea beetle native to the cloud forests of Ecuador. I encountered this flea beetle on two occasions, for the first time in the Mindo cloud forest in 2022 and for the second time in Nono, in the Andean highland in 2025. Although flea beetles are excellent jumpers, they often remain motionless to avoid attracting predators—which, fortunately, makes them easier to photograph 🙂