Neogalerucella calmariensis or N pusilla,u,back dry

Foreign Extremists: Yep, these species are attacking Purple Loosestrife left and right. Imported plant being attacked by imported beetles. This is either Neogalerucella calmariensis or N. pussila, it is not clear to me how to tell them apart, but I lean towards the former, if anyone cares. If you blow up the picture of the full beetle and look at the thorax you will see sticking out of each corner a very long hair...more like a whisker. I have never seen this before. It must have sensory functions...No? If you look at the head shot you can see these foreshortened hairs are associated with some socket like thingybob. What were they thinking here? Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200. USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.