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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles (Scarabaeoidea) » Scarab Beetles (Scarabaeidae) » Fruit and Flower Chafers (Cetoniinae) » Trichiini » Trichiotinus » Trichiotinus lunulatus

Species Trichiotinus lunulatus

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Mating Flower Scarabs - Trichiotinus lunulatus - male - female Emerald Flower Scarab - Trichiotinus lunulatus Chafer - Trichiotinus lunulatus Emerald (or coppery) Flower Scarab - Trichiotinus lunulatus Trichiotinus bibens? - Trichiotinus lunulatus Trichiotinus bibens? - Trichiotinus lunulatus Trichiotinus? - Trichiotinus lunulatus BG2936 E8003 - Trichiotinus lunulatus
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 Trichiotinus
Species lunulatus (Trichiotinus lunulatus)
Other Common Names
Emerald Flower Scarab, Metallic Green Flower Scarab
Explanation of Names
Specific name refers to moon-shaped marks on pygidium, presumably.
Size
7-11 mm
Identification
Usually green, but sometimes has a coppery tinge. Very similar to T. bibens, but more southeastern in range. Generally less hairy, has V-shaped callus on head. Legs usually green or dark, not brown. Cretaceous (chalky) spots on pygidium not usually concealed by hairs:

See Harpootlian (1) for details.
Range
Southeastern United States: Virginia to Texas. On Atlantic coast, perhaps most common in coastal plain and Piedmont, though does seem to be found up into the Great Smokies.
Habitat
Meadows, fields, etc. with flowers, near woodlands
Season
May-July (reference, and photos in guide, North Carolina), April-June (South Carolina).
Food
Pollen and/or nectar from a variety of flowers.
Life Cycle
Larvae unknown(?) but likely feeds in decaying wood, as do related beetles.
Remarks
I've coined the common name for this species. It is really a striking green in bright sun. See genus guide for details on life history, references.
See Also
Trichiotinus bibens
Print References
Harpootlian, pp. 122-123, gives description, keys for identification. (1)
Brimley, p. 208, reports April-June for North Carolina. (2)
Taber, pp. 124-125, fig. 109--black-and-white photo (3)
Internet References
Beetles of Florida
Scarab Beetles of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
North Carolina State University Entomology has 19 pinned, including specimens from that state.
Works Cited
1.Scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of South Carolina
By Phillip J. Harpootlian
2.Insects of North Carolina
By C.S. Brimley
3.Insects of the Texas Lost Pines (W.L. Moody, Jr., Natural History Series, No. 33)
By Stephen W. Taber, Scott B. Fleenor
Contributed by Cotinis on 27 July, 2004 - 8:04am
Last updated 20 June, 2010 - 9:35am

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