Ometeo Posted July 17, 2010 Report Share Posted July 17, 2010 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Clausen Posted July 17, 2010 Report Share Posted July 17, 2010 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ometeo Posted July 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2010 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara Posted July 29, 2010 Report Share Posted July 29, 2010 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ometeo Posted August 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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