Species Euphoria inda - Bumble Flower Beetle

Brown Fruit Chafer

Euphoria inda (Linnaeus 1764)

11.8-16.4 mm(1)

Yellow/brown elytra marked with black, lots of yellowish hairs on thorax. Probably mimic of bumblebees, it has buzzy flight.

An uncommon dark form was previously considered a separate subspecies, E. inda nigripennis (2).

transcontinental (BC-QC to AZ-FL) / Mex. - Map (3)(GBIF)

Fields, meadows

mostly: Mar-May, Aug-Oct(3)(GBIF, BG data)

Adults emerge in the late summer, overwinter, and then become active in the early spring, thus the bimodal curve in activity(1)

Adults visit flowers. Sometimes damage flowers. Also take rotting fruit, corn, sap, other plant juices.

Larvae in decaying wood, vegetation, and especially, dung(4). Eggs deposited in summer near these food sources. Males often seen searching for newly emerged females.

Larvae are associated with Formica ants(1)

in Indiana, "Mar 20 -- Aug 17. On the first warm, sunny days of spring this [beetle] comes forth in numbers and flies close to the ground with a loud buzzing noise like that of a bumble-bee, for which it is often mistaken. When captured it defends itself by emitting a strong, pungent chlorine-like odor. A second brood is said to appear in September. The larva live in rotten wood, beneath chips and other woody debris. The adults are often found sucking the juices of roasting ears, peaches, grapes and apples, and sometimes do much damage."(5)

E. hirtipes Horn

- Range: CO-NE, ND(1)