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Glorious Beetle?
I just opened the top of the compost bin, and two very large (1 inch length) metallic green beetles with dark stripes flew out. They had dark wings, and maybe a 1-1/2 to 2 inch wingspan. The compost bin had been filled with large leaves from tropical plants (bird of paradise) a few weeks ago. In trying to find out what the beetle might be, your photo of the Glorious Beetle came up as the closest specimen visually. The ones I saw (head on) were possibly a bit more triangular or tapered at the head (wider body, narrower head), rather than being oval like the one shown in the photo. They seemed to have more exposed mandibles. Are Glorious Beetles found in California and the SF Bay Area (San Jose, Sunnyvale), and would they be likely to turn up in a suburban compost bin? Any other thoughts on what they might be? Here’s the beetle I mentioned. It’s very noisy when it flies. In the photos, a portion of the wings (black) are protruding near the rear of the body. Any idea what it is?
Phil Alden

Hi Phil,
This is a Green Fruit Beetle or Fig Eater, Cotinus mutabilis. The eggs are often laid in compost piles and adults eat ripe fruit.

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