SoCal Polyphylla sp.

[Ometeo]

Hello,

I found this literally outside my house, on the first step off the door.

I believe it's a Polyphylla sp., possibly cavifrons; though I'm just basing myself on some light reading done overnight.

Has anybody kept these, and if so, can you offer any tips?

Thanks,

OM

 

[Peter Clausen]

Orin can probably shed a bit more light on them. I can say from experience that they are happy to lay eggs, even on the bottom of a bare deli cup. Pine feeders as a group, I think. Keying the species out is probably near to impossible as there are supposedly numerous species in the US. Oh, check out bugguide.net:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/8123

Yours are more hairy and pale than others I've seen, including several and various lined and unlined Western species.

 

[Ometeo]

Hello Peter,

thank you for your reply.

I looked at Bugguide and the only similar beetle there would be P. cavifrons.

I also did some further reading, an found in the Coleopterist Bulletin a paper by Alan R. Hardy that P. cavifrons has a prothorax without erect hairs on the disc.

It seems that the species as been found ~40-50 miles from where i am situated, and am not doubting their ability to fly out such distances; yet I can't be 100% sure of making the correct ID.

I may see an entomology professor later in the day at the Kidspace Bug Fair, may ask him if he knows anything about it.

 

[Sara]

Ohh neato let me know how they work out for you!

Hello Peter,

thank you for your reply.

I looked at Bugguide and the only similar beetle there would be P. cavifrons.

I also did some further reading, an found in the Coleopterist Bulletin a paper by Alan R. Hardy that P. cavifrons has a prothorax without erect hairs on the disc.

It seems that the species as been found ~40-50 miles from where i am situated, and am not doubting their ability to fly out such distances; yet I can't be 100% sure of making the correct ID.

I may see an entomology professor later in the day at the Kidspace Bug Fair, may ask him if he knows anything about it.

 

[Ometeo]

well, after some heavier reading it looks like this is certainly not Polyphylla as I had initially thought, it was a Parathyce palpalis. Neat little sucker though, hope I got some eggs.