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Species Trigonopeltastes delta - Delta Flower Scarab
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 Trichiini
Genus Trigonopeltastes
Species delta (Delta Flower Scarab)
Other Common Names "D Beetle", Flower Scarab Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Trigonopeltastes delta ( J.R. Forster, 1771) Explanation of Names Species name "delta" refers to the triangular pattern on the pronotum, which resembles the Greek letter, Delta, i.e., Δ. Identification Distinctive medium-sized beetle with yellow-orange elytra and striking triangular pattern on pronotum. Diurnal, visits flowers. Perhaps the Delta pattern on the pronotum, combined with the orange coloration of the elytra is mimicry of wasps, such as...
Paper Wasp, Polistes fuscatus/Southern Yellowjacket, Vespula squamosa
Range Southeastern United States: New Jersey south to Florida, west to Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas. Habitat Meadows with flowers. Season Summer. May-August (North and South Carolina). May-October (Texas). Food Adults take pollen and/or nectar. (Possibly eat vegetative parts as well?) Food plants include Goldenrod (Solidago), Feverfew (Parthenium), Coneflower (Echinacea), and Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccafolium). Life Cycle Mating occurs on flowers. Larvae are found in decaying wood, e.g., stumps, and have also been found in bromeliads. See Also Trichiotinus, but pattern of this species distinctive
Print References White, Field Guide to the Beetles, plate 8 (1)
Arnett and Jacques, Simon & Schuster's Guide to Insects, number 114 (2)
Deyrup and Kenney, Florida's Fabulous Insects, page 95 (3)
Harpootlian, p. 122, fig. 241 (4)
Internet References Texas Entomology--discusses life cycle, range
Works Cited | 2. | Simon & Schuster's Guide to Insects
By Dr. Ross H. Arnett, Dr. Richard L. Jacques |  |
| 3. | Florida's Fabulous Insects
By Mark Deyrup, Brian Kenney, Thomas C. Emmel |  |
| 5. | Insects in Kansas
By Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White | |
Contributed by Cotinis on 20 March, 2004 - 12:53am Last updated 8 December, 2009 - 6:03pm |
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