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Project Noah Nature School
Scarab: Chrysina quetzalcoatli, Moth ??
When this Jewel Scarab landed, a moth of about 1 cm in length began to follow it around on the table. It extended it's proboscis and seemed to be feeding from the scarab. It climbed all over the beetle and fed from between the elytra and from a leg joint as well. It stayed with the beetle more than 10 minutes and might have stayed longer but I think I scared it taking pictures. I never saw a moth do this before. The last picture is a closer look at the moth species that is feeding on the scarab and was taken on 16 July 2013.
Garden balcony at night, San Cristobal de Las Casas, 2,200 meters.
I snapped some pictures of this moth bugging the scarab without realizing that it was trying to feed from it, because it was dark. Until I saw the pictures, I didn't see it's extended proboscis.
Spotted on Jul 6, 2013
Submitted on Jul 12, 2013
4 Comments
Yes Sckel, ha ha ha, let's see who he goes after next!
this beetle try to love a moth and a caterpillar, what's wrong with him?
Thank you Leanne, it must be feeding on hemolymph, but I wouldn't have thought it's proboscis could penetrate, even in soft places. There is moth that feeds on blood though...
That is such interesting behaviour Karen & so lucky they did this in front of you! I wonder what the moth was feeding on? Cool :)