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Rainbow Scarab

Phanaeus vindex

Photo by MrsPbio
Published on Project Noah
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29.1945, -82.1308

Field Notes

Description:

A very cool little beetle I rescued from a patio pond. About 3/4" long, beautiful purple-green iridescence on the head and thorax, bronze-green iridescence on the abdomen/ "shell".
Had what appeared to be a shovel like extension over the head. The caramel- colored antennae were relatively short, and had finger-like bristles only at the tips. (Apologies to any entomologists for my total ignorance of most proper anatomical terms...)

He was SO cute!!!!

Notes:

After fishing him out if the water , he calmly sat in my hand and cleaned himself for several minutes. He now lives in the ox beetle terrarium at the science center where I work .

Species ID Suggestions

Rainbow Scarab

Phanaeus vindex

Comments (2)

Ok... He is a "she".... A lovely lady Rainbow Scarab. She will like to eat banana, according to UF Dept of Entomology.
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 29, 2013

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