Species Euphoria herbacea - Olive Euphoria

Euphoria herbacea (Olivier)

"Olive Euphoria" is an original coinage here, based on the coloration. Species name herbacea no doubt refers to the plant-like coloration of this beetle.

12-16 mm

Olive-green to brown with irregular light markings on elytra.

Southeastern United States: Indiana, Maryland, south to Georgia, apparently west to Oklahoma. Does not occur south to Florida?

Meadows, old fields, woodland edges

Reported: June-August (South Carolina), June-July (North Carolina).

Unknown. Adults observed in the Piedmont of North Carolina have not been observed to eat--see Remarks.

Unknown, larvae may live in rotting humus, etc., and/or may be associates of ants. See genus account for discussion.

Observed consistently over damp mossy areas, usually in partial shade in North Carolina. This is possibly where eggs are laid (pers. observation, P Coin, Durham North Carolina).

This seems to be a fairly common Euphoria in early summer in Durham, North Carolina. I have not seen it at flowers, however, as is common with E. sepulcralis. (This could just be due to my limited experience with the beetles.) Almost all E. herbacea I have seen appear to be in a frantic rush to mate.

Brimley, p. 207 (1)

Dillon, page 552, plate LIV (2)

Harpootlian, p. 118, fig. 280 (3)

This species is fairly common in the

NCSU insect collection, with 64 pinned, including specimens from North Carolina.

This species is also on a checklist for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Beetles of Florida--not on that checklist

Beetles of Oklahoma lists E. herbacea occidentalis Knaus