Pelidnota punctata

JKim

Mecynorrhina
Pelidnota_punctata.jpg

An image of L1-L2 larvae of Pelidnota punctata 

 
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Wow!! Are you captive breeding these? This is one of the species motivating me to try my hand at more serious light trapping this season. BugGuide lists Pelidnota punctata for my state (NY), but I’ve never seen it. I’m always on the prowl! 😄

 
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Wow!! Are you captive breeding these? This is one of the species motivating me to try my hand at more serious light trapping this season. BugGuide lists Pelidnota punctata for my state (NY), but I’ve never seen it. I’m always on the prowl! 😄
Yes, these are F2 larvae. I collected a pair two years ago, and bred some larvae. They became adult beetles, and laid another batch of eggs. AND I actually collected a handful this year, so I added couple alive ones in the same container.. So I'm guessing they are all mixed up.

I just looked up on BugGuide, and most recent records indicate P. punctata in New York are mostly active in July to August. In Louisiana, P. punctata are found in May to early July for the most, and still be found couple latter months.

 
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I’m getting started at the right time I guess! I’ll let you know if I draw any out of the shadows. It would be the first BugGuide submission from my county 🙂 

 
I’m getting started at the right time I guess! I’ll let you know if I draw any out of the shadows. It would be the first BugGuide submission from my county 🙂 
One tip I can give you is to light up (if you are doing light trapping) at the forest where it actually has grapevines. There is no other reason why they are called as "Grapevine beetles." They love feeding on grapevine.

 
One tip I can give you is to light up (if you are doing light trapping) at the forest where it actually has grapevines. There is no other reason why they are called as "Grapevine beetles." They love feeding on grapevine.
Thanks for sharing your advice and experience.

There are areas in my town where  wild grape vine grows in large patches and chokes out trees. I also have a neighbor who cultivates horticultural juicing grapes on his property. I know wild and cultivated are different species. Is one better than another for this beetle? 

 
Thanks for sharing your advice and experience.

There are areas in my town where  wild grape vine grows in large patches and chokes out trees. I also have a neighbor who cultivates horticultural juicing grapes on his property. I know wild and cultivated are different species. Is one better than another for this beetle? 
the grapevines where I mostly collect these beetles were definitely different species from the harvested on in my backyard long time ago. But that didn't matter. I fed captured adults with the one at my backyard. So, probably, no, it does not matter.

 
One tip I can give you is to light up (if you are doing light trapping) at the forest where it actually has grapevines. There is no other reason why they are called as "Grapevine beetles." They love feeding on grapevine.
I just did it, and I had one in about five minutes. That was the only one, though. 

 
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