Subject: beetle
Location: Orlando, FL
July 20, 2012 5:45 pm
We live in Central Florid and saw this beetle on our screen. Have never seen one like it and can’t find it in any of our books. Do you know what it is?
Signature: Susan L
Harlequin Flower Beetle
Dear Susan,
This distinctive looking Scarab Beetle is Gymnetis caseyi, commonly called a Harlequin Flower Beetle. You can find out additional information on BugGuide. Interestingly, in all the years we have been running this website, we can only locate one other example in our archive.
Thank you for the information. In the 10 years we’ve been in Central Florida, we’ve never seen one. Do you know if it is common to this area?
Thanks again!
Susan
BugGuide lists them in Texas, Louisiana and Florida. They may be more common in some areas than others.
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I saw one on my mulberry tree this morning here in Orlando, Florida. Beautiful beetle.
Found a bunch of these in my mom’s compost heap in Orlando, Florida. They seem to pupate in a mud cell.
My wife and I live in a 3rd story apartment in Lake Buena Vista, Orlando FL, and despite not having a balcony, we have a few of these Harlequin Flower Beetles rummaging around our potted indoor avocado trees. Don’t know if the beetles crawled in through the door cracks or if it came inside by way of soil for the plants. Pretty docile, haven’t seen any leaf damage.
They might have been in potting soil or if outdoor plants were brought indoors.