Took a little walk-about at Audubon this morning. Look who I found all tucked in a bed of moss:
Not sure of the species. Isn’t it cute?
UPDATE: My very knowledgeable friends tell me it’s a striped flea beetle. Still not sure of species, because apparently there are several varieties of striped flea beetles.
A Passion for Nature 
Dots and stripes and colours, oh my …
Hi-It looks like a cucumber beetle to me. Awfully early! What fun. I enjoy your blog.
Regards,
Diane Tucker
Naturalist
Hill-Stead Museum
Farmington, CT
hillsteadblog.com
Close as I can figure it appears to be a flea beetle (perhaps a pigweed flea beetle / Disonycha glabrata or close relative ) and yes it is an attractive little critter like a cross between a lady bug and a potato beetle.
I do not think they are very common around here but perhaps the milder fall and winter weather brought it further north?
http://www.dpughphoto.com/beetles.htm
Love this shot! Both the detail in the moss and the beetle – and he certainly is a cutie. Can’t help with the ID, I’m afraid!