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Genus Euphoria
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles)
Family Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
Subfamily Cetoniinae (Fruit and Flower Chafers)
Tribe Cetoniini
Genus Euphoria
Other Common Names Bumblebee Flower Beetle, Brown Fruit Chafer (both for E. inda) Explanation of Names Author of genus is Burmeister, 1842.
phor (G). A kind of bee (1)Numbers Nearctica.com lists 29 species.
Arnett, p. 422, lists 29 species. (2)
Those lists include some forms described by Casey, 1915, such as appalachia and scolopacea, that have been suppressed.
Checklist of the Scarabaeoidea of the Nearctic Realm lists 21 species. (3)Identification Medium-sized, rather wide and flattened diurnal scarabs. Rather hairy underneath and on sides, giving them a cute, almost teddy-bear appearance. Flight is buzzy, like a bee or fly. Elytra apparently do not open in flight, which perhaps contributes to the buzzy sound--see this illustration of E. fulgida. Seen on flowers or buzzing about forest floors and diving abruptly into leaf litter.
This genus seems to be rather unusual among beetles in that most species (at least the four eastern ones) can be told apart at a glance by their color patterns--see photos of, from left to right:
Euphoria fulgida, Euphoria herbacea, Euphoria inda, Euphoria sepulcralis (dorsal/ventral views):
Range Includes eastern and central North America. Widespread species in east are: inda, fulgida, herbacea, sepulcralis. E. clarki and kerni reach lower midwest (Oklahoma, Kansas). E. limbalis is a Florida endemic. Other species likely western. Habitat Fields, meadows, thickets Season Early Summer (April-July, North Carolina), some species into October (North Carolina) Food Adults visit flowers for pollen and/or nectar. Also take rotting ruit. Life Cycle Larvae usually reported to live in decaying wood, vegetation, dung. Eggs deposited in summer near these food sources. Larvae feed and overwinter, or perhaps pupae overwinter. Adults emerge in early summer. Males often seen searching for newly-emerged females.
Larvae are, perhaps, associated with ants? From Insects of Cedar Creek:
Larvae of these species are reported to live in decaying wood, but I suspect that some live as scavengers in ant nests (primarily those of Formica obscuripes). E. inda (yellow with black flecks) is commonly seen buzzing over Formica mounds in spring. On descending to the mound it is immediately covered by ants. E. fulgida (bright green) is much less common and is generally found at Prunus or Amelanchier blooms in the spring. See Also Stephanucha has toothed clypeus (upper mouthparts), and apparently does not have deep pleats in elytra. Print References Arnett, p. 422, fig. 24.75, E. inda (2)
Salsbury, p. 186-187, E. fulgida, kerni, sepulcralis (4)
Dillon, pp. 552-553, plate LIV, fulgida, herbacea, inda, sepulcralis (5)
Harpootlian, pp. 117-118 (6)
Internet References Insects of Cedar Creek: family page, genus.
Insect Images--E. inda, shows larvae in dung
Cirrus Images--E. inda, looks like a male searching for newly-emerged females
Works Cited | 4. | Insects in Kansas
By Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White | |
Contributed by Cotinis on 14 March, 2004 - 4:57pm Additional contributions by Mike QuinnLast updated 14 June, 2007 - 9:30pm |
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