Thread: Little Black and White striped beetle looking things

So I found these 2 bugs chilling on my clones. I've seen them before and even thought they were mentioned in these forums somwhere, but i can't find it. They are reletively small (I'd say about the size of a small nerd candy) and almost look like little ladybugs. They have a hard shell and are black and white striped. Anyone know what I'm talking about? Are they a pest? or a pest predator. I have taken them off, but I'm sure they'd love to go back if they won't hurt the babies. Please give your thoughts, or perhaps a link to the thread if someone finds it.

Google Image Result for http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_leafbeetles/images/wpe28.jpg

thats the closest thing I can find to how they look.. take that body shape and substitute all the color for just black and white

nobody?

Must have stumbled across a new species...

Well pretty sure that is not an insect native to the states....so you must be somewhere else....being the IPM expert I am I would say generally if it has the name "leaf beetle" anywhere in its name it is a plant feeder, probably wont do too much harm, but if they are anywhere related to ladybugs (or ladybeetles) they are beneficial as well, and are predatory towards aphids....probably nothing to be concerned about though