Figeater Beetle (Cotinis mutabilis)
We have been seeing a number of these beetles around the house over the past few weeks. They are just gorgeous with super shiny green metallic undersides and copper-green wings.
As seen in this picture, the beetles don’t bite and are quite handle-able. They are easy to care for and have a habit of “going to ground” when kept in captivity. It takes 10 minutes or so for them to “wake up” when taken out of its cage.
It can fly, though isn’t terribly coordinated about it.
Roger is now gathering the larvae in hopes that we can raise a whole herd of the things.
A bit of research revealed that it is a Figeater Beetle (Cotinis mutabilis). It also known as a June Bug, but that name I reserve for the annoying little brown bugs that flit about in a generally annoying fashion. The adult figeater beetle primarily feed on rotten or over-mature fruit while the larva tend to live in compost heaps and the like. In other words, definitely not a pest species.
This also makes it quite easy to feed. Have a peach going bad? Or a tomato? Feed it to the beetle.
As soon as I build my lightbox, I’m going to put one in the freezer long enough to slow it down a bit and then try to get some interesting macro shots.
August 26th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
We had those bugs when I was growing up in southeast Tennessee, but we always called them June bugs. I assume that’s because that’s when they come out.
Anyway, they provided hours of fun for me and my brothers because they were easy to catch (and didn’t sting or bite). You could tie a string around their leg and “walk” them. And of course it was always fun to watch the cats chase after them, and then hack them up later on the good rug.
Ah, the memories.
August 27th, 2006 at 5:57 pm
June bugs! When I was a kid, they were everywhere. We had a huge fig tree not too far from the house, and there were always plenty of June bugs feeding on fallen fruit. Later, the fig trees Dad planted in the yard were our source of insect-y amusement. Sadly, though the fig trees are still here, the June bugs are very scarce. Seems like the pesticides used by farmers here in rural south Georgia have really hurt the population. But over the last couple of years, it seems like there have been a few more than in previous years. Maybe newer insecticides are not so bad on them any more.
You mentioned putting one of the bugs in the freezer to slow it down. My younger brother actually did a pretty decent “cryogenics” experiment to see just how long he could keep one in a freezer and later revive it. He got to a couple of hours before he stopped. That last one took a while to “wake up”, and he didn’t want to kill one. I honestly don’t recall us ever killing one. We’d play with it a while, and finally let it fly away.
Yes, they are beautiful insects, and completely harmless. We, like Andy mentioned, used to tie a string on one, but we didn’t just walk them. We flew them. I laugh now remembering of one of my brothers standing in the yard, a June bug buzzing in circles over his head as he held the other end of the string.
Thanks for helping me recall some blissful childhood moments.
August 28th, 2006 at 1:28 pm
u r bugging me out