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Rainbow Scarab Beetle
Phanaeus vindex
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photo ©Ginger Allen, UF/IFAS
Identifiers- 1" long, elytra (wing coverings) are emerald
green, front pronotum (shoulder covering) brilliant copper
Adaptations-
male has a long black curved horn, front legs modified for
digging
Status-
throughout most of Florida, rarely seen though
Distribution-
South Dakota east to Maryland, south to Texas
Habitat-
dry prairies, agricultural areas, upland habitats
Diet- adults eat leaves, or fruit
Fun facts
- "dung" beetle, male and female may work together to roll dung
into a ball
- eggs are laid in dung balls so the larva have food
- related to the ancient Scarab beetles of Egypt
- scarab beetle most important religious symbol in ancient Egypt
-Egyptians thought the rising and falling of the sun was evident in the
daily dung rolling behavior of the scarab beetle, therefore it had to depict
importance
- rolling fecal material underground, reduces habitat for filth-breeding
flies, and recycles nutrients
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