The figeater beetle is a scarab beetle indigenous to southwestern U.S. and Mexico. These brightly colored beetles, mostly active during the day, are often spotted in the shade of trees bearing ripe fruit, which forms the bulk of its diet.
Size: 3.2 cm (1.25 in)
Color: They have a partially shiny green dorsal area, while their ventral region and legs appear iridescent green.
Other Characteristic Features: A loud buzzing noise, similar to that of a carpenter bee, can be heard when these beetles fly, attributed to their elytra being only partially open while in flight.
Larvae are whitish with a dark head. They are “C” shaped, thick, and grow up to 5.1 cm. Though they have six legs, it does not help in movement. Instead, they propel themselves forward by crawling on their backs, using the bristles on their body as traction. This has earned them the nickname “crawly back”.
They eat decaying organic matter, like compost and manure piles, organic mulch, and even plant roots.
The larvae mature and pupate in the spring.
Eggs are laid in summer below the soil. They are 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) long.
| Other names | Green fruit beetle, fig beetle |
| Lifespan | 5 weeks |
| Distribution | The Southwestern United States and Mexico |
| Habitat | Home gardens and orchards |
| Seasons active | Late Spring to mid Summer |
| Predators | Birds |
| Host plants | Trees with soft-skinned fruits like berries, grapes, ripe figs, peaches, plums, and tomatoes |
| Diet of adults | Sweet food, like leaves, flowers, and sap of certain plants and ripe or overripe fruit |
As they cannot eat fruit with tough skins and prefer ripe fruit, the damage done by these beetles is minor. However, in extreme cases, a swarm of them can attack an entire crop and defoliate it.
Image Source: biolib.cz, i.pinimg.com, bugguide.net, i.imgur.com, live.staticflickr.com, i.pinimg.com
The figeater beetle is a scarab beetle indigenous to southwestern U.S. and Mexico. These brightly colored beetles, mostly active during the day, are often spotted in the shade of trees bearing ripe fruit, which forms the bulk of its diet.
Size: 3.2 cm (1.25 in)
Color: They have a partially shiny green dorsal area, while their ventral region and legs appear iridescent green.
Other Characteristic Features: A loud buzzing noise, similar to that of a carpenter bee, can be heard when these beetles fly, attributed to their elytra being only partially open while in flight.
Larvae are whitish with a dark head. They are “C” shaped, thick, and grow up to 5.1 cm. Though they have six legs, it does not help in movement. Instead, they propel themselves forward by crawling on their backs, using the bristles on their body as traction. This has earned them the nickname “crawly back”.
They eat decaying organic matter, like compost and manure piles, organic mulch, and even plant roots.
The larvae mature and pupate in the spring.
Eggs are laid in summer below the soil. They are 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) long.
| Other names | Green fruit beetle, fig beetle |
| Lifespan | 5 weeks |
| Distribution | The Southwestern United States and Mexico |
| Habitat | Home gardens and orchards |
| Seasons active | Late Spring to mid Summer |
| Predators | Birds |
| Host plants | Trees with soft-skinned fruits like berries, grapes, ripe figs, peaches, plums, and tomatoes |
| Diet of adults | Sweet food, like leaves, flowers, and sap of certain plants and ripe or overripe fruit |
As they cannot eat fruit with tough skins and prefer ripe fruit, the damage done by these beetles is minor. However, in extreme cases, a swarm of them can attack an entire crop and defoliate it.
Image Source: biolib.cz, i.pinimg.com, bugguide.net, i.imgur.com, live.staticflickr.com, i.pinimg.com
