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Project Noah Nature School
Protaetia fusca
Protaetia fusca Herbst, 1790, also called Mango Flower Beetle, Mottled Flower Scarab. Dark brown beetle, about 1.5cm in body length, with light brown patches on its thorax and elytra. It has noticeable thorn-like structure at its elytra near the tip of the abdomen. Flower chafers are a group of scarab beetles comprising the subfamily Cetoniinae (order Coleoptera, family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Cetoniinae Leach, 1815). Many species are diurnal and visit flowers for pollen and nectar, or to browse on the petals. Some species also feed on fruit. The group is also called fruit and flower chafers, flower beetles and flower scarabs. There are around 4,000 species, many of them still undescribed.
Backyard garden, spotted eating at a pod of a Caesalpinia pulcherrima plant (Poinciana) from pea family.
Similar to my previous spotting - http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/170.... http://salagubang.net/pages/gallery/gall.... http://www.meloidae.com/en/pictures/1176.... http://www.saveourwaterwaysnow.com.au/01.... http://www.thebugmaniac.com/index.cfm/pa.... See similar spotting: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/881....
Spotted on Jan 6, 2013
Submitted on Jan 17, 2013
1 Comment
I'm currently having this as a pet as I caught it right outside my doorstep in Singapore, I have been an avid enthusiast for insects since young so I decided to accommodate this little guy, I initially did not know the diet nor habitat for this beetle but I know they aren't carnivorous so I tried feeding it leaves and fruits. I found out it only ate the latter such as plums, mangoes, rockmelon, strawberries and I think it nibbled on a white grape too. It's 2 most favourite being plums and mangoes.
I only just got a mini terrarium for it live in as I sort of feel guilty having it crawl around an empty plastic container. They are very quickly house trained as it stopped trying to escape after a few days of captivity since I clean the container and put in usually plums and mangoes every 2 days. As for it's terrarium habitat, I added moss on top of earth, with a 2 flat pebbles to put the fruits on top.
But as soon I transferred the little guy into it's new home, within the first few seconds of landing on the soil, it immediately burrowed underground. I would say roughly 1cm underneath the soil and moss and it has been staying underground for 2 days already. I'm starting to think it doesn't react well to bright lights as it made it's residence right on the wall of the glass jar so I can see the cut section of what it is doing. I constantly check on it by shining a rather bright flashlight and it keeps waving the light off hahaha.
I've only got to know the name of this little guy and the name sort of is a coincidence to diet I've been feeding it.
Hope this adds information on this little dude!