Soft-winged flower beetles (family Melyridae) are easily recognizable by their uniquely pliable, leathery exoskeletons and distinctly flattened silhouettes. Within this family, the genus Astylus boasts over 100 species native to Central and South America. Celebrated for their striking, contrasting colors, the adults are strictly florivorous, spending their days moving from bloom to bloom where they gorge on pollen and act as vital environmental pollinators. In stark contrast, their larvae are terrestrial, reddish-brown, and covered in dense, bristly hairs; they tunnel through soil to feast on decaying organic matter, young plant roots, and even notorious agricultural pests like stem borers. I crossed paths with this beautifully decorated, somewhat clumsy beetle during a bright, sunny afternoon in Nono—a tranquil mountain village nestled just outside of Quito.