Serica sericea

(Illiger, 1801)

Harvest June Beetle

Serica sericea is a small scarab beetle in the Scarabaeidae, commonly known as the Harvest . measure 7.5-10.5 mm and display a distinctive deep chestnut coloration with a velvety, opaque surface that produces a brilliant rainbow-like metallic sheen. The is widely distributed across North America, occurring throughout much of the United States and southern Canada.

Serica sericea by Jacy Lucier. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.Alpinia nutans var. serica 1893 (41326842) by George De Alwis. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Serica sericea: /ˈsɛ.rɪ.kə ˈsɛ.rɪ.si.ə/

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Identification

The deep chestnut color combined with the velvety, opaque surface and rainbow metallic sheen distinguishes this from many other small scarab beetles. The specific epithet 'sericea' (meaning silky) references this distinctive surface texture. Accurate identification to species level within the Serica typically requires examination of male genitalia.

Images

Appearance

are small scarab beetles measuring 7.5-10.5 mm in length. The body color is deep chestnut. The surface texture is velvety and opaque, with a brilliant metallic sheen displaying rainbow colors.

Distribution

Widespread across North America. In the United States: Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. In Canada: British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.

Sources and further reading