Other Common Names
Hairy Flower Scarabs, Flower Beetles, Bee-Like Flower Scarab (used by Papp
(1) for T. piger)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Identification
Very hairy on abdomen--the hairs often poking out prominently from under the elytra. Perhaps mimic bees (pattern, buzzy flight).
Species identification requires close examination [key to se. spp. in
(3)]. Range info below can be useful. Visually there are two groups:
Pronotum brown or black, elytra brown/black center, white stripes along sides:
assimilis - mostly northern and western;
affinis - similar to
piger but elytral intervals 2 and 4 shiny, with scattered large punctures, look same as slightly elevated and convex intervals 3 and 5, and
pygidium distinctly and closely rugose;
piger - very similar to
affinis, but intervals 2 and 4 finely and densely punctate, less shiny than distinctly elevated and convex intervals 3 and 5; pygidium medially distinctly setose, noncretaceous surface with irregular rugae usually separated by less than or equal to 0.2 mm in median area;
rufobrunneus - very brown, FL endemic;
texanus - TBA
Pronotum green, elytra brown to green in varying degrees, with no or weak white bars:
bibens - elytra brown with green tinge, flies in mid-late summer;
lunulatus - elytra brighter green than in
bibens, flies in late spring and early summer [overlooked in
(4)];
viridans - TBA
Range
Nearctic genus (US and adjacent Canada)
(2):
T. affinis se. Canada to FL-AL;
T. assimilis - Canada; n. & w. US (ME-ID-NM-AZ);
T. bibens e. US (NY-MI to n. GA & AL);
T. lunulatus se. US (MD-FL to OK-TX);
T. piger - Canada; e. US (ME-NE to FL-AZ);
T. rufobrunneus FL;
T. texanus KS-TX-NM;
T. viridans - Canada; upper midwest (MI-WI-KS)
Range maps:
Habitat
Open areas with flowers near woodlands
Food
Adults take pollen and/or nectar from such flowers as Queen Anne's Lace, New Jersey Tea, hydrangea, Dogwood, and Indian Hemp. Also feed on vegetative parts?
