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Scarab BeetlesWhat’s this Bug?
April 26, 2010
Dear Bugman,
We are trying to identify this beetle that flew by us the other night and landed close by. Never seen one like this and do they bite? Thanks.
Cordelia Lovelady
Port Aransas, Texas
Earth Boring Dung Beetle
Dear Cordelia,
This is an Ox Beetle in the genus Strategus, but there are several species in Texas and we are not certain which species you have. You can see images of several species on BugGuide. We believe this is a lesser male without the fully developed horns generally seen in males. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to assist us with the species identification.
Earth Boring Dung Beetle
Eric Eaton makes a Correction
Daniel:
This is not an “ox beetle,” but something much more interesting. I believe it is a member of this genus:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/56753
and I really hope the person will post their image at Bugguide, too. There is a strong chance one of the scarab experts there will recognize it. Might be a new species for Bugguide, or even a new species to science. These subterranean scarabs are not often seen.
Great find!
EricThanks so much for the correction Eric. The thought of an Earth Boring Dung Beetle never crossed our mind. There is a photo of a pair on BugGuide, indicating that this specimen is a male.
Earth Boring Dung Beetle
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