What kind of beetle ARE you?! It looks like a “lady,” albeit not your average lady.

Well, I was rejoicing over discovering a unicorn a couple days ago, and today I’m stumped like an oak struck by lightning. This darkly beautiful beetle most resembles a ladybird beetle (ladybug), but my repeated Google and BugGuide.net queries are proving fruitless, each successive attempt as frustrating as the previous try. My OCD tendencies really wanted me to get this one; and my bug enthusiast pride is a little wounded, but it’s time to put our mystery beetle on stage and maybe get some help from the world at large. Any info would be much appreciated. Another shot of our friend after the break.

Shiny cover but no “tags” that I can read on our dark, mysterious beetle friend.