Rhinocerous beetle? in France
July 22, 2009
We found this in our garden in south west France – which is in a wood next to a river – it flew hard into a window one evening and lay around for the next day looking a bit stunned. As you can see it wouldn’t let go of my husband’s shirt and he had to take it off with the bug still attached. He said it was making a ‘pht’ sound – is that likely? She’s still alive in these photos.
Anyway, after lots of looking on your site it seems to be a female rhinocerous beetle of some kind? Is that right? She was about 4cm (an inch and a half) long.
Sue
Ceret, south west France
Pine Chafer from France
Dear Sue,
Your beetle is not a Rhinoceros Beetle, but it is a Scarab Beetle, the same family as a Rhinoceros Beetle. We believe your beetle is a Fruit and Flower Chafer in the subfamily Cetoniinae, but we have not had any luck web searching with that information. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to provide an answer. Karl are you out there?
Pine Chafer from France
Comment
Hi everybody,
I live in Turkey and we call those ‘May Bug’. This is from genus of ‘Polyphylla’ and can be ‘Polyphylla fullo’. They horrifies some people because they sound ’ssssssss’ when you close’em.
Ed. Note:
A web search of Polyphylla fullo produced a photo that matches the one submitted. We are inclined to agree that we misidentified the Scarab and that is is in reality a June Beetle. The Forestry Images website calls this species a Pine Chafer. We also found additional photos of this beetle feeding on pine.
Karl also comes through
Hi Daniel:
The scarab from France is in the family Melolonthidae, which is sometimes listed as a subfamily of Scarabaeidae, depending on which taxonomic system you choose. The genus is Polyphylla and, although there are probably at least a few similar species, it looks very close to P. fullo. Common names given include June Beetle and Pine Chafer; one reference indicated that the larvae attack the roots of hazelnut. The base color varies between brown and black and the individual in Sue’s photo is a female, since it lacks the prominent pectinate antennae. Regards.
Karl
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Posted 22 July 2009
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Kentucky beetle
July 21, 2009
Having just moved to central Kentucky, we were taking our son to register him at his new school, and right by the front door welcoming the newcomers was this beetle. We asked the locals, but nobody seemed to know what it was. Can you tell us? (My son, BTW, felt much better about the new school after discovering such a cool bug there.)
Curious mother
Richmond, Kentucky
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Dear Curious Mother,
Your beetle is an Eastern Hercules Beetle, Dynastes tityus. It is a male beetle, as evidenced by the horns. Females do not have horns.
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Posted 22 July 2009
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What is this beetle?
July 19, 2009
Found in Moncks Corner, SC near Lake Moultrie, Took more pictures if you would like to see, let me know.
Collin Hodges
Moncks Corner, SC
Ox Beetle
Hi Collin,
We just posted a photo of a Triceratops Beetle, and your Ox Beetle, Strategus antaeus, is a relative in the same tribe, Oryctini. You can read about the Ox Beetle on BugGuide, which states it is found in the “Eastern United States: Connecticut south to Florida, west to Illinois, Oklahoma.”
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Posted 19 July 2009
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What is this Beetle?
July 19, 2009
Found this beetle trying to burrow into the concrete under my front door, so we picked him up and had a good looksie at him. Can’t for the life of me figure out what kind he is. Thought he was a rhinocerous beetle, but can’t find a picture that looks like him. Help!
Jonathan C
Fort Pierce, FL USA
Triceratops Beetle
Dear Jonathan,
Though we often have people write in comparing insects to dinosaurs, like calling the Wheel Bug a Stegosaurus, to the best of our knowledge, this may be the only insect that actually is named for a dinosaur. Your Triceratops Beetle, Phileurus truncatus, is also called a Loving Beetle according to BugGuide which has this information: “Adults come to lights. Larvae feed in rotten logs, reported, in particular, from dead oaks. Presumably, males (?) use horns to defend breeding sites. Lifespan of adults is reported to be quite long (up to two years) in captivity. Reported to have structures for sound production (stridulation) (1). Stridulate softly when handled (P. Coin, Durham, NC 11 July 2007).” BugGuide also has this crazy statement: “Adults have been reported causing cabin fires by coming down chimneys, presumably attracted to fireplace smoke and spreading embers” which we find odd and potentially libelous. We surely hope that statement does not contribute to the unnecessary carnage of this magnificent creature.
Triceratops Beetle
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Posted 19 July 2009
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Grapevine Beetle
July 18, 2009
Found this 3 cm-long beetle a few days ago in a patch of clover on my lawn. From your site I determined that it’s a Grapevine Beetle. I have no grapes, but some of the neighbours probably do.
Ray
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Grapevine Beetle
Hi Ray,
Your identification of the Grapevine Beetle, Pelidnota punctata. This species ranges in color from a very pale yellow to a rusty red, but the spots remain a consistent identification feature.
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Posted 18 July 2009
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elm sawfly and grapevine beetle
July 14, 2009
Hi Bugman!
Just used your site to identify this Elm Sawfly I saw while hiking in the mountains of North Carolina. Thought you might like the photo.
I also was able to identify the cute little Grapevine Beetle that was sadly squished on the grill of my car. Sorry little guy!
Carrie
North Carolina
Roadkill: Grapevine Beetle
Dear Carrie,
Though it saddens us, we are struck by the beauty of this graphic image of accidental insecticide. The poor Grapevine Beetle was in the wrong place at the wrong time and became collateral damage. It will not be appearing on our unnecessary carnage page which is reserved for malicious and premeditated killings and not involuntary roadkill.
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Posted 15 July 2009
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What’s the name of the beetle in my photo
July 14, 2009
I’ve had this bug body for years but dont know it’s name
beetle bailey
kentucky
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Dear Beetle Bailey,
This is an Eastern Hercules Beetle, Dynastes tityus.
Daniel, your site is new to me, and it’s really a great site.
Just wanted to say that I didn’t murder this beetle. I found it’s body on my deck one morning, and was facinated by it and kept it. That was twenty years ago, and I still have it. I have never seen another since. Hope it died of natural causes. There were no visible injuries, and I don’t have pesticides around.
Thanks for identifying it.
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Posted 14 July 2009
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Strange looking beetle
July 14, 2009
I have lived in Oklahoma all my life and have never seen one of these bugs in my 30 years in this state. They are about and inch and half long with a striped abdomen. They hiss quite loudly when disturbed. And the antler like formations on the head are very interesting. Is this a native species to Oklahoma.
David Gerlach
Oklahoma City, Ok. USA
Lined June Beetle
Hi David,
This is one of the Lined June Beetles, probably Polyphylla occidentalis. You can see some matching images on BugGuide. He has some pretty impressive antennae.
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Posted 14 July 2009
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Similar to Japanese Beetle in Size
July 13, 2009
This beetle is seen in my garden. It is similar in size to the Japanese beetle. I found this beetle on a grape leaf. It is mid-July and I have been seeing them for about a week.
Cathy
Nothern Westchester County, New York.
Oriental Beetle
Hi Cathy,
Your beetle is a Shining Leaf Chafer in the same subfamily as the Japanese Beetle. We believe it is in the genus Strigoderma based on images posted to BugGuide. Perhaps one of our readers can verify this.
Correction from Eric Eaton
Daniel:
The “shining leaf chafer” you thought might be Strigoderma is actually the “Oriental beetle,” Anomala orientalis, incredibly abundant right now here in western Massachusetts….
Eric
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Posted 14 July 2009
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Unidentified Beetle
July 13, 2009
I found this rather large beetle roaming in my garden.
My dog had taken an interest in it, so I had to move it to a safe location.
It made short hissing sounds when disturbed.
Tony
Victoria, BC Canada
Ten Lined June Beetle
Hi Tony,
The Ten Lined June Beetle, Polyphylla decemlineata, is found throughout Western North America. They are often attracted to lights.
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Posted 13 July 2009
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Metallic looking beatle skeletonizing grape leaves
Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 7:34 AM
We have a swarming of metallic looking beatles skeletonizing our grape leaves. It isn’t anything like the pictures of Western skeletonizing bugs shown.
wlarson
Iowa
Japanese Beetles
Hello wlarson,
These are mating Japanese Beetles, Popillia japonica , an invasive exotic species accidentally introduced to New Jersey in 1916. Since that time, the Japanese Beetles have spread throughout much of the eastern U.S. BugGuide does not list any sightings in Iowa, but there are reports from many surrounding states and the westernmost reports on BugGuide are from Kansas. Japanese Beetles feed on the leaves, flowers and fruits of countless ornamental plants, and they are most fond of roses. There are commercial traps available that lure the Japanese Beetles with bait and keep them from feeding on the plants. Mom in Ohio says the Japanese Beetles make the leaves of her plants look like lace doilies.
Epicaerus Weevil on Milkweed???
Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Hello Daniel,
I can’t be sure, even after an hour and a half of looking for this “bug,” if a weevil it is or not. The snout says it is… Yes? No…?
These two photos (lightened for assistance in identification) were taken in farm country in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
The photo of the pair of red, black dotted, beetles (borer? blister?) was taken at the same time. I appreciate any assistance that you may be able give me.
Thank you so much for being there,
R.G. Marion
Bumble Flower Beetle
Hi R.G.,
Nice to hear from you again after so long. We actually believe the suspected weevil is a Bumble Flower Beetle, Euphoria inda, based on the appearance of its antennae. The photo is lacking details, but the basic outline of the form of the beetle and the antennae indicate that it is probably a Bumble Flower Beetle. There are clearer images on BugGuide which credits the following information to Blatchley: “Throughout the State (Indiana); frequent. March 20-August 17. On the first warm, sunny days of spring this “bumble flower-beetle” comes forth in numbers and flies close to the ground with a loud buzzing noise like that of a bumble-bee, for which it is often mistaken. When captured it defends itself by emitting a strong, pungent chlorine-like odor. A second brood is said to appear in September. The larva live in rotten wood, beneath chips and other woody debris. The adults are often found sucking the juices of roasting ears, peaches, grapes and apples, and sometimes do much damage. “
Red Milkweed Beetles Mating
We are quite certain your mating beetles are Red Milkweed Beetles or Milkweed Longhorns, Tetraopes tetrophthalmus. It is the first of the month now, and we always have problems with images posting at the beginning of the month. We will contact our web host and hopefully this will be corrected in the morning.
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