cleridae

Trichodes ornatus, the ornate checkered beetle.  California. Don't let the pretty colors fool you. Trichodes ornatus, like many checkered beetles, is a fierce predator whose larvae attack the young of wood-boring insects. photo details: Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x macro lens on a Canon EOS D60 ISO 100, 1/200 sec, f/13, flash diffused through tracing paper.
Cymatodera sp. Checkered Beetle (Cleridae) Arizona photo details: Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens on a Canon 20D f/16, 1/250 sec, ISO 100, indirect strobe in a white box