Grapevine beetle?
October 9, 2009
This beauty was clinging to our screen door early one morning last June. I have been trying to identify, and Grapevine beetle seems a possibility (we have 17 acres of grapes), but there aren’t noticeable spots. What else could it be?
Charlee
4 miles east of Lawrence, KS
Goldsmith Beetle
Hi Charlee,
Your guess that this is a Grapevine Beetle is well founded, though incorrect. This is a Goldsmith Beetle, Cotalpa lanigera, which is in the same tribe, Rutelini, as the Grapevine Beetle, Pelidnota punctata. You can see additional images and read more about the Goldsmith Beetle on BugGuide. Our favorite bit of trivia about the Goldsmith Beetle, is that it is believed to be the Gold Bug in the famous Edgar Allen Poe story.
Thanks so much for the info! We have lots of unusual (for this area) bugs, birds, and varmints visiting our farm, and I was having trouble trying to identify this beetle. It certainly was beautiful– the same morning I photographed this guy, I also got great shots of a pair of Io moths. Living in the country certainly has its perks!
Thanks again,
Charlee
Charlee Glinka Davenport Orchards/Vineyards/Winery
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Posted 09 October 2009
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Assassin bug dining on Japanese beetle
September 20, 2009
While out scouting for butterflies, I came upon this slightly grizzly scene of a wonderful assassin bug dining on a Japanese beetle. Glad it wasn’t me!
This was taken on June 30, 2009 in Orange County, VIRGINIA — the original OC 
Lynne from Virginia
Orange County, Virginia
Wheel Bug eats Japanese Beetle
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for sending your wonderful Food Chain documentation. More specifically, the Assassin Bug is a Wheel Bug. We are sure your photo will bring great joy to many gardeners who are plagued each year by the appearance of the scourge, the Japanese Beetle. The invasive exotic Japanese Beetle appears in great numbers each year and feeds on many ornamental and food plants, including roses. We have heard that this year in Ohio, the Japanese Beetles can still be found despite the late date.
Small rounded, bobbing head beetle
September 9, 2009
My dad found this bug in our garage and showed it to me because he knows i don’t condone the killing of bugs, i took a few pics and relocated it. he (or she) never flew, but looked like a beetle that was a quarter inch long and high. it bobbed it’s head down and up quite a bit.
Thanks, joe s.
Minnesota
Earth Boring Dung Beetle
Hi joe,
We see that by the time we had an opportunity to write back to you, you had already submitted your photo to BugGuide as well and your Earth Boring Dung Beetle has been identified as Bolbocerosoma bruneri.
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Posted 11 September 2009
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Can you indentify this beetle?
September 5, 2009
I have seen a number of these beetles on one tree in our yard. I’m fairly sure it’s a variety of oak but I don’t know which sort. The beetles are eating a white milky sap that is oozing from the bark. I’m trying to figure out whether these beetles are damagingbthe tree.
Kelvin
East Texas just north of Interstate 20
Figeater? or Green June Beetle???
Dear Kelvin,
Though we are certain that the genus on your beetle is Cotinis, we are torn with the species. Texas is included in the range of the western Figeater, Cotinis mutabilis, as well as the eastern Green June Beetle, Cotinis nitida. The Figeater is generally found later in the year in August and September, while the Green June Beetle generally flies in July. The Figeater is listed on BugGuide as eating “ripe fruit and sometimes sap”, and the Green June Beetle is listed on BugGuide as eating ripening fruit and leaves. The fact that this sighting was made in East Texas inclines us toward the Green June Beetle, but the time of year and food source incline us toward the Figeater. Regarding your question about damaging the tree, we would say that the beetle is not causing damage, but is benefiting from damage potentially caused by some wood boring insects.
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Posted 06 September 2009
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orange beetle with triangle on thorax in an argiope’s web
September 3, 2009
Around noon today, I saw this small beetle get caught in the web of the largest Argiope aurantia spider I’ve ever seen. I live in Fort Pierce, Florida. The beetle has an orange abdomen and legs, but a yellow and black thorax and head. There is a yellow triangle pointing towards the abdomen on its thorax. What could this beetle be? I don’t think I’ve seen one before.
I’ve also included a picture of the spider, in case you want to use it on your site.
Thanks!
Gary
Fort Pierce, FL
Delta Flower Scarab in Orbweaver's web
Hi Gary,
This lovely beetle is a Delta Flower Scarab, Trigonopeltastes delta. The beetle gets its common and scientific name from the shape of the marking on the thorax that resembles the Greek letter delta. According to BugGuide: “Adults take pollen and/or nectar. (Possibly eat vegetative parts as well?) Food plants include Goldenrod (Solidago), Feverfew (Parthenium), Coneflower (Echinacea), and Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccafolium).“ Golden Orbweavers are also called Writing Spiders because of the pattern of the stabilimentum in the web that is believed to help camouflage the spider. We are quite happy to add your images and letter to our Food Chain pages.
Golden Orbweaver eats Delta Flower Scarab
Mettalic Green Beetle
September 3, 2009
I haven’t seen one of these in the Bay Area in 3 years. I’m wondering if it is local to California, it measured about 1in long. I was able to easily catch it by hand (very clumsy bug).
Michael Blair
San Jose, CA
Green Fruit Beetle
Dear Michael,
The Green Fruit Beetle or Figeater, Cotinus mutabilis, according to Charles Hogue in his book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, was: “Originally native to Arizona and New Mexico, it gradually spread westward and became noticeable in the Los Angeles area after the 1960s.” Perhaps its range is spreading northward as well, possibly due to global warming, or perhaps by accidental introduction. Adults generally fly in Los Angeles during the hot final days of summer in August and September.
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Posted 04 September 2009
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Giant Beetle?
August 23, 2009
My husband found this giant beetle as a hitch hiker on his way home from work. He brought it in to me because he knows I like unusual bugs. Its a dark sage green with specks of brown. I thought it might be a type of hercules beetle but the thing doesn’t have any pinchers & a small head. The picture was taken in late spring a few years ago. I love this site by the way. My friends think I’m crazy ‘cuz I don’t kill bugs & I’m female. We’re suppose to run screaming I guess.
Nancy S.
Northeast Tennessee
Female Eastern Hercules Beetle
Hi Nancy,
Congratulations on not being afraid to handle harmless insects. This is indeed a female Eastern Hercules Beetle, Dynastes tityus. The larger male has the horns in the family.
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Posted 23 August 2009
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Irridescent Green & Gold trim bug
August 14, 2009
This bug came FLYING at me while on my patio on a sunny Los Angeles afternoon a couple of weeks ago. After chasing me for a bit on my patio (maybe it wanted a sip of my chardonnay?), it attached itself to my screen door, and just hung out (I went inside). Seemed to be missing it’s right leg.
Crystal
Los Angeles, California
Figeater
Hi Crystal,
This is a Green Fruit Beetle, Cotinis mutabilis, also called a Figeater due to its fondness for eating figs. It is also fond of peaches. The Figeater is a common Los Angeles scarab beetle that is generally seen from late July through September.
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Posted 14 August 2009
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Found this while cleaning my pond
August 9, 2009
Yesterday (Aug 
I was cleaning my water lily pond and found this beetle.. The bug is about 3/4 of an inch to an inch long
Frank Scanlan
Coral Springs, FL 33065
Rainbow Scarab
Hi Frank,
This is a female Rainbow Scarab, Phanaeus vindex, a species of Dung Beetle. The male has a single curved horn.
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Posted 09 August 2009
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Giant bee eating Japanese beetle
July 30, 2009
Hello!
While working in my garden, i came across what appeared to be a giant bumblebee eating a Japanese beetle. The bee had a fuzzy abdomen that was striped yellow and black. It was between 1 3/4 ” and 2 ” long. The Japanese beetle was 1/2 ” long. The bee was flying around holding the beetle in it’s mouth. It was huge! Any ideas on what it is?
tree
Floyd county, VA
Bee-Like Robber Fly eats Japanese Beetle
Hi tree,
About a week ago we receive a question if Robber Flies ate Japanese Beetles. We wish your photo had arrived before we answered. Since Japanese Beetles are an invasive exotic species that does considerable damage to ornamental plants, many gardeners would welcome these Robber Flies into their yards, including our own mother in Ohio. This is a Bee-Like Robber Fly in the genus Laphria, which can be distinguished from the genus Mallophora by the antennae. This is explained on BugGuide on the Mallophora genus page thus: “Resemble Laphria, another genus of robbers that mimic bumblebees, but is even hairier and has antennae with a very thin terminal final segment, whereas Laphria has thick antennae.“ Based on images posted to BugGuide, we believe your specimen most closely resembles Laphria grossa, but we would like an expert confirmation on the species.
Bee-Like Robber Fly eats Japanese Beetle
(Believed) female Eastern Hercules Beetle, second photo turned out very good
July 26, 2009
Hi,
I believe this is a female Eastern Hercules Beetle, but I’m not totally sure. It was found on the side of my house in the evening. I live in middle Tennessee. I know you have posted some of these already, but I think the second picture turned out really well.
Matthew Martin
Springfield, TN
- Eastern Hercules Beetle
Hi Matthew,
You are correct. This is a female Eastern Hercules Beetle, Dynastes tityus. The close-up is an interesting angle.
- Eastern Hercules Beetle
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Posted 27 July 2009
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