Comments on: The Figeater Beetle

By: Doug Bashford

Doug Bashford — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 20:02:50 +0000

This might be my favorite insects. I’ve never seen such brilliant iridescent color as their underside a brilliant, sparkly Christmas green. If only they could make jewelry that beautiful! I captured one and watched it fly around my kitchen easily avoiding the walls and the chandelier and it seemed like after it circled once it knew the layout of the land and it seemed to be acting with intelligence. I watched one the other day fly from the ground-cover up through the trees avoiding the branches with deliberate Grace. Big and fairly slow and steady they are easy to follow in flight.

I had dozens of the fat grubs growing in the moist composting leaves under one of my mimosa trees, here in the Fresno suburbs. I think they are good for the soil for the same reasons that earthworms are. It is so hot and dry here they are attracted to my watering my tiny yard.

By: Badger

Badger — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 22:17:28 +0000

In reply to john. It's possible you found a Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica), they have a very similar appearance and have a more Easterly range. It does seem most insects slow down in the cold.

By: john

john — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 21:45:48 +0000

I believe that I recently found a Fig Eater Beetle in Southern Indiana. I moved him into a grassy area close to my school. I had never seen a beetle like it, so I was unsure of where it would prefer to be placed. It appeared to fly but it did not fly while in my hand. The only other thing was the underside of this beetle was jet black.. I am guessing the poor thing was sick and not use to the colder weather we are having here.