Scarabaeidae
EOL Text
Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
This a large family of beetles, ranging in size from small to very large. They are usually black with a heavy carapace, and powerfully built. Many of these beetles display little interest in flowers, preferring to roam across the ground and hunt for other insect prey. Some of them are attracted to dung, which is shaped into a ball and rolled along the ground. This is deposited in a suitable hole, where the eggs are laid. Only one subfamily will be described, because the Scarab beetles in this group are more likely to visit flowers. Cetonniae (Flower Scarab Beetles): These are medium-sized beetles, somewhat round and flattened in shape. They are variably colored, sometimes iridescent green, black, or with brown and yellow patterns. The antennae are short and stout, like other Scarab beetles. The adults often appear on flowers, feeding on pollen, if not the flowers themselves. The larvae feed on plant roots, rotting wood, and decaying organic material in the ground.
- Hilty, J. Editor. 2014. Insect Visitors of Illinois Wildflowers. World Wide Web electronic publication. illinoiswildflowers.info, version (06/2014)
See: Abbreviations for Insect Activities, Abbreviations for Scientific Observers, References for behavioral observations
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| Rights holder/Author | Copyright © 2002-2014 by Dr. John Hilty |
| Source | http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/flower_insects/files/beetles.htm |
Animal / parasite / endoparasite
larva of Sarcophaga albiceps endoparasitises Scarabaeidae
In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Animal / predator / stocks nest with
Tiphia femorata stocks nest with larva of Scarabaeidae
Animal / predator / stocks nest with
Tiphia minuta stocks nest with larva of Scarabaeidae
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| Rights holder/Author | BioImages, BioImages - the Virtual Fieldguide (UK) |
| Source | http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/Scarabaeidae.htm |
Scarabaeidae (scarabs) is prey of:
Solpugidae
Scorpiones
Araneae
Typhlosaurus
Aves
Based on studies in:
Namibia, Namib Desert (Desert or dune)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
- E. Holm and C. H. Scholtz, Structure and pattern of the Namib Desert dune ecosystem at Gobabeb, Madoqua 12(1):3-39, from p. 21 (1980).
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Cynthia Sims Parr, Joel Sachs, SPIRE |
| Source | http://spire.umbc.edu/fwc/ |
Scarabaeidae (scarabs) preys on:
animal dung
Mammalia
Based on studies in:
Namibia, Namib Desert (Desert or dune)
Costa Rica (Carrion substrate)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
- E. Holm and C. H. Scholtz, Structure and pattern of the Namib Desert dune ecosystem at Gobabeb, Madoqua 12(1):3-39, from p. 21 (1980).
- L. F. Jiron and V. M. Cartin, 1981. Insect succession in the decomposition of a mammal in Costa Rica. J. New York Entomol. Soc. 89:158-165, from p. 163.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Cynthia Sims Parr, Joel Sachs, SPIRE |
| Source | http://spire.umbc.edu/fwc/ |
Chitin layers produce gold and silver colors: jewel scarab
The forewings of jewel scarabs produce gold and silver by having 70 layers of chitin that become progressively thinner with depth resulting in different refractive indices.
"A team of researchers at the University of Costa Rica has found that the beetles' metallic appearance is created by the unique structural arrangements of many dozens of layers of exo-skeletal chitin in the elytron, a hardened forewing that protects the delicate hindwings that are folded underneath... In these beetles, the cuticle, which is just 10 millionths of a meter deep, has some 70 separate layers of chitin—a nitrogen-containing complex sugar that creates the hard outer skeletons of insects, crabs, shrimps, and lobsters. The chitin layers become progressively thinner with depth, forming a so-called 'chirped' structure. 'Because the layers have different refractive indices,' Vargas says, 'light propagates through them at different speeds. The light is refracted through—and reflected by—each interface giving, in particular, phase differences in the emerging reflected rays. For several wavelengths in the visible range, there are many reflected rays whose phase differences allow for constructive interference. This leads to the metallic appearance of the beetles.' This is similar to the way in which a prism breaks white light into the colors of the rainbow by refraction, but in the case of these beetles, different wavelengths, or colors of light are reflected back more strongly by different layers of chitin. This creates the initial palette of colors that enable the beetles to produce their distinctive hues." (Stark 2011:1)
Learn more about this functional adaptation.
- Stark A. 2011. Beetle bling: Researchers discover optical secrets of 'metallic' beetles. EurekAlert [Internet], Accessed 25-Apr-2011.
- Campos-Fernández C; Azofeifa DE; Hernández-Jiménez M; Ruiz-Ruiz A; Vargas WE. 2011. Visible light reflection spectra from cuticle layered materials. Optical Material Express. 1(1): 85-100.
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| Rights holder/Author | (c) 2008-2009 The Biomimicry Institute |
| Source | http://www.asknature.org/strategy/1d512c323bcf952307c43afcaa09058b |
Vision enables stealth communication: jewel scarab beetle
The vision of jewel scarab beetles allows them to find each other while evading enemies thanks to the detection of circularly polarized light.
"According to researchers from the University of Texas, the jewel scarab species Chrysina gloriosa can distinguish between circularly polarized and unpolarized light. That ability could provide the beetles with a tremendous advantage, the researchers say, because most of the light reflected off these beetles' colorful bodies happens to be circularly polarized.
"'The trait would allow the beetles to easily see each other while simultaneously hiding from predators that cannot see circular polarized light,' said physicist Parrish Brady, who conducted the research with Molly Cummings…
"Because ability to see CP light is very rare in nature, it's not likely that any of the beetles' predators can see it. So the ability to both see and reflect CP light probably evolved to allow jewel scarabs to communicate with each other while staying hidden from predators…" (Science Daily 2010)
Learn more about this functional adaptation.
- Brady P; Cummings M. 2010. Differential response to circularly polarized light by the jewel scarab beetle Chrysina gloriosa. The American Naturalist. 175(5): 614–620.
- 2010. Beetles stand out using 'Avatar' tech. Science Daily [Internet],
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | (c) 2008-2009 The Biomimicry Institute |
| Source | http://www.asknature.org/strategy/24fb1f1f021aaa4cb107a8cbf5234871 |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
| Specimen Records: | 15,001 | Public Records: | 1,388 |
| Specimens with Sequences: | 9,509 | Public Species: | 487 |
| Specimens with Barcodes: | 6,573 | Public BINs: | 173 |
| Species: | 2,285 | ||
| Species With Barcodes: | 1,305 | ||
Collection Sites: world map showing specimen collection locations for Scarabaeidae
The Trichiinae are a subfamily of the scarab beetle family (Scarabaeidae), but occasionally they are included in the Cetoniidae as tribe Trichiini. The conspicuous bee beetles (Trichius) are probably the best-known genus in Europe.
They vary in size from 6 to 65 mm [1] and can be distinguished from the Cetoniidae by having covered epimeres, and lateral edges of the elytra which are not trimmed.
The adults feed on sugar-rich secretions of stems, leaves, fruits and flowers of different plants. Most larvae develop in rotten wood.
Selected taxa
- Dialithus Parry, 1849
- Epitrichius
- Giesbertiolus Howden, 1988
- Gnorimella
- Gnorimus Le Peletier & Serville, 1828
- Inca
- Lasiotrichius
- Osmoderma
- Paratrichius
- Platygeniops Krikken, 1978
- Trichiotinus
- Trichiotinus piger – Hairy Flower Chafer, Bee-like Flower Scarab
- Trichius – bee beetles
- Trigonopeltastes
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| Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
| Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Trichiinae&oldid=540961167 |