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Japanese Beetles mating

Popillia japonica

Description:

Order: Coleoptera. Family: Scarabaeidae. Length: .60 inches (15 mm). Width: .40 inches (10 mm). Iridescent cooper-colored elytra and green thorax. Abdomen is black and white stripes. Explanation of first photo: 1) my close photography disturbed the mating and ejaculation occurs outside of female. 2) Japanese beetle penis has a dual function; to insert sperm into a fertile female or to scoop out previous beetle sperm before injecting its own. See notes for other possible technical explanation. Serious pest to more than 200 plants.

Habitat:

Meadows, lawns.

Notes:

"I´d rather say it´s not the sperm, but the everted endophallus and flagellum. The male is pulling out the aedeagus and the flagellum is still attached to the abdomen of the female. You can see a thin brown layer above the endophallus, which I believe are sclerotised parts." (This was a comment at my Entomology group on FB by an amateur. No expert explanation yet.)

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6 Comments

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 9 years ago

Absolutely superb spotting Carol.. (even if a bit gooey)

RobThacker
RobThacker 9 years ago

Carol, just awesome!!

Carol Snow Milne
Carol Snow Milne 9 years ago

Thanks so much! Very unusual! I hope I get a definitive answer of the exact explanation of this spot. Thank you!

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 9 years ago

I love this one Carol! Great series and text, very interesting.

KeithRoragen
KeithRoragen 9 years ago

It makes me sad I can only favorite this once.

johnlguerin
johnlguerin 9 years ago

Absolutely spectacular shots Carol. What great timing.

Carol Snow Milne
Spotted by
Carol Snow Milne

Pennsylvania, USA

Spotted on Jun 30, 2014
Submitted on Jul 2, 2014

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