A caterpillar in the bonnet

The bluebonnets attracted many more visitors than just bees this spring.  Among these other visitors were caterpillars – which came to feed on, rather than from, the flowers.

A caterpillar feeding on the buds of a Texas lupine (Lupinus texensis).

However, the flowers were not the most enticing part of the bluebonnets for herbivores.  Soon after the seeds pods began maturing, they started to become riddled with holes.  Meanwhile, the seeds that should have been developing inside were damaged or even completely missing.

Texas lupine seed pods after a seed predator attack.

The first insect that I found in the vicinity of the holes was a lady beetle. 

A seven-spotted lady beetle (Coccinella septempunctata) by a freshly chewed hole in a Texas lupine seed pod.

Yet, nearly all lady beetles, including the one pictured here, are primarily predators of other insects, not of seeds.  Therefore, it seemed unlikely that the lady beetle was the culprit.  Then, what was making all the holes?  To be continued…