Monkey Beetle

Description:

Distinguished from other Scarabaeidae by the tarsal claws which, especially on the hindlegs, are unequally sized and movable. Larvae are known as white grubs, a term also used for larvae of the subfamily Melolonthinae. They feed on plant litter and plant roots in the soil, and can be serious pests of cultivated crops and lawns. The Hopliini beetles are the most diverse group of rutelines in southern Africa. Adults are often brightly coloured and hairy with large powerful hind legs and usually encountered in flowers.

Habitat:

Inside a fynbos flower on the Cape Point Nature Reserve.