Green June Beetles

@Dynastes TItyus hunter

I've reared this species several times; it's not difficult.  The larvae eat the same kind of substrate as most other flower beetles, but fine sand needs to be mixed into the substrate (50/50 ratio) when the larvae reach full size, since they need it to make pupal cells.  The larvae can be kept in groups for pupation so long as they aren't crowded, but it may be preferable to keep them in small containers (e.g. 5.5 oz snack cups) during this stage, so that they can't disturb each other.
"Green June beetles feed as chafers on the foliage and fruit of trees in mid summer. Damage appears similar to that of Japanese beetles. Adults chew irregular holes in fruit, sometimes to the point fruit is almost entirely consumed. Foliage is skeletonized until there is no leaf tissue remaining between the veins."- Green June Beetles in the Landscape, NC State Extension. 

 
@Dynastes TItyus hunter

"Green June beetles feed as chafers on the foliage and fruit of trees in mid summer. Damage appears similar to that of Japanese beetles. Adults chew irregular holes in fruit, sometimes to the point fruit is almost entirely consumed. Foliage is skeletonized until there is no leaf tissue remaining between the veins."- Green June Beetles in the Landscape, NC State Extension.
This simply isn't true. They do not feed on foliage. And in the majority of cases, they will only feed on fruit that has already been punctured or damaged in some way. A lot of misinformation is out there surrounding C. nitida and C. mutabilis.

 
Well, there ya go! Shoulda known, feel real dumb for that one.

My bad guys.

 
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I have never heard of Cotinis feeding on foliage.  Unlike Chrysina, they don't have the chewing-type mandibles for it.  Like other Cetoniinae, Cotinis can only scrape very soft or liquid foods, since their mouthparts are brush-like.

 
Yessss my dummy self shoulda known. Read this and automatically thought Green Japanese beetles and got the named all mixed. That's my b!

 
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