black orange beetle only targets chinese lanterns

I have brought this bug to nurserys and no one recognizes it. It only targets the leaves of the Chinese lantern plant in a partial shaded area. They eat the leaves and in mid summer there is no foliage ....just the orange sickly looking lantern. There are other plants and flowers around it but it only likes these lantern plants. Its April here so its early...no photos yet. Its and elongated black with a tiny bit of orange accents about 1/4 long...looks like a soft beetle. Help please.

joelcoqui

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Kennedy
BugFiles Administrator

Tried to take a photo but its blurry. I just found out they fly too. Its some kind of little tiny elongated beetle with an orange head, black/beige body and it only eats my chinese lantern leaves. Theres plenty to eat around it but it just eats lanterns. its about 1/4" long or less

Not sure. It doesnt look like the photos on that link. My beetle is flat and not like a ladybug. My bug doenst look like it has a hard shell either.

Ok, thats it. How do I get rid of these bugs? thanks