Hoplia coerulea

[Goliathus]

Great photo sent to me today of Hoplia coerulea, the remarkable, iridescent blue "Monkey Beetle" from Southwest Europe, which is a close relative of the common June beetle - 

The males of this species are covered in photonic, reflective scales like those of Morpho butterflies.

I've not seen any reports of this species having been bred in captivity, but certainly, it would be worthwhile to try!  Like many other Melolonthinae, the larvae feed on certain kinds of live plant roots, and I suspect that the difficulties of providing this is why there doesn't appear to have been any captive breeding success.

 

[Reyes]

I want to keep them!!!!!!!

 

[Oak]

Beautiful species!

 

[Goliathus]

Here's what the beetle's reflective nanostructures look like under magnification - 

 

[Goliathus]

Weevils of the genus Pachyrhynchus have similar reflective structures - 

...and also the genera Eupholus - 

...and Lamprocyphus - 

 

[Reyes]

epic

 

[JKim]

Never seen the detailed structure of this fascinating beetle species!! A friend of mine who went to UK actually collected this in person at field, and shared me some pictures. It was AMAZING!!