Sap-feeding
Guides
Prometopia
Prometopia is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae, subfamily Prometopiinae. The genus comprises approximately 28 species worldwide, with distribution centered in the Afrotropical region and extending to the Nearctic and other regions. Most species are excluded from the Palaearctic region, Madagascar, and New Zealand. The genus is characterized by distinctive body shape and elytral spot patterns.
Protaetia fusca
Mango Flower Beetle, Mottled Flower Scarab
Protaetia fusca is a flower chafer beetle in the subfamily Cetoniinae, commonly known as the Mango Flower Beetle or Mottled Flower Scarab. The species has a broad distribution spanning tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, the Pacific, and has been introduced to the Americas including Hawaii, California, Florida, and the Galápagos Islands. Larvae develop in decaying wood of broad-leaved trees, particularly Ficus species, while adults feed on tree sap and ripe fruits. The complete life cycle takes approximately one year, with adult activity peaking during summer months.
Psilopyga histrina
black stinkhorn beetle
A small sap-feeding beetle in the family Nitidulidae, known from North America. The common name "black stinkhorn beetle" suggests an association with stinkhorn fungi (Phallaceae), though direct documentation of this relationship is limited. Like other nitidulids, it likely feeds on fermenting plant fluids and fungal substrates.
Psilopyga nigripennis
stinkhorn beetle
Psilopyga nigripennis, commonly known as the stinkhorn beetle, is a species of sap-feeding beetle in the family Nitidulidae. It is found in North America. The common name "stinkhorn beetle" reflects its association with stinkhorn fungi (Phallaceae), which are among its known food sources. The species was described by LeConte in 1863.
Pyrrhocoroidea
Red and Bordered Plant Bugs, Red Cotton Bugs
Pyrrhocoroidea is a superfamily of true bugs comprising approximately 520 species in two families: Pyrrhocoridae (red bugs, ~300 species) and Largidae (bordered plant bugs, ~220 species). Members are primarily herbivorous, with many species exhibiting bright red or orange coloration. The superfamily is distinguished by specific bacterial symbiont associations, particularly Burkholderia in Largidae, which are acquired environmentally each generation rather than transmitted maternally. Pyrrhocoroidea represents the earliest-diverging superfamily of Burkholderia-associated Hemiptera.
Tragidion
Tragidion is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) distributed across North America and Mexico. Species are notable for their bright orange-red and black coloration, which functions in Batesian mimicry of tarantula hawk wasps (Pompilidae: Pepsis, Hemipepsis). The genus contains eleven recognized species, with seven occurring in North America and four restricted to Mexico. Taxonomic clarity was recently provided by Swift & Ray (2008), who described two new species, revalidated one from synonymy, and proposed four new synonymies to resolve long-standing identification challenges.
Uroleucon tuataiae
Uroleucon tuataiae is a species of aphid in the family Aphididae, first described by Olive in 1963. It belongs to the large genus Uroleucon, which contains numerous species associated with plants in the Asteraceae family. Like other members of this genus, it is presumed to be a phloem-feeding insect that reproduces parthenogenetically during favorable seasons. The species is recognized as valid in major taxonomic databases including GBIF and the Catalogue of Life.
Vesiculaphis
Vesiculaphis is a genus of aphids in the family Aphididae, first described by Del Guercio in 1911. It belongs to the tribe Macrosiphini within the subfamily Aphidinae. The genus includes species such as Vesiculaphis caricis, which feeds on plants by sucking sap. Records indicate a distribution in Norway and Sweden.