Scarab-beetle
Guides
Diplotaxis bidentata
Diplotaxis bidentata is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America. The species is a small chafer that has been observed congregating on low vegetation, apparently to detect pheromone trails in search of mates.
Diplotaxis brevisetosa
Diplotaxis brevisetosa is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, tribe Diplotaxini, described by Linell in 1897. It is a small chafer beetle occurring in the Nearctic region, specifically known from Texas. Like other members of its genus, it is attracted to lights at night and has been observed congregating on low vegetation. The specific epithet 'brevisetosa' refers to short setae (bristles), a distinctive morphological feature of this species.
Diplotaxis cribulosa
Diplotaxis cribulosa is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1856. The species is classified in the subfamily Melolonthinae and tribe Diplotaxini. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate D. c. cribulosa and D. c. sinaloa described by Vaurie in 1958. Like other members of the genus Diplotaxis, this species is attracted to lights at night, where males have been observed congregating on low vegetation to detect pheromone trails of females.
Diplotaxis curvaticeps
Diplotaxis curvaticeps is a species of scarab beetle described by Fall in 1909. It belongs to the subfamily Melolonthinae, a group commonly known as May or June beetles and chafers. The species is distributed across parts of Central America and North America, with documented occurrences in the southwestern United States (Texas) and several Mexican states including Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, and Tamaulipas. As a member of the genus Diplotaxis, it is part of a group of small scarab beetles often associated with sandy habitats and nocturnal activity patterns.
Diplotaxis fimbriata
May beetle, junebug
Diplotaxis fimbriata is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, commonly referred to as a May beetle or junebug. The species was described by Fall in 1909 and occurs in the western Nearctic region. It is found in California (USA) and Baja California (Mexico), representing a relatively restricted geographic range within the genus Diplotaxis. Like other members of the tribe Diplotaxini, adults are likely nocturnal and attracted to light sources.
Diplotaxis frondicola
May beetle, junebug
Diplotaxis frondicola is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Melolonthinae, commonly known as a May beetle or junebug. It belongs to a large genus of small chafers distributed across North America. The species was first described by Thomas Say in 1825. Like other Diplotaxis species, adults are typically attracted to lights at night and are often observed on vegetation.
Diplotaxis harperi
Diplotaxis harperi is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by Blanchard in 1851. It belongs to the subfamily Melolonthinae, commonly known as May beetles or June beetles. The species is distributed across North America, with records from numerous U.S. states spanning from the Atlantic coast to the Great Plains and Southwest. Like other members of the genus Diplotaxis, it is likely nocturnally active and associated with vegetation.
Diplotaxis knausii
Diplotaxis knausii is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Schaeffer in 1907. It belongs to the subfamily Melolonthinae (chafers) and tribe Diplotaxini. The species is known from arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Like other members of the genus Diplotaxis, it is likely nocturnal and attracted to lights.
Diplotaxis lengii
Diplotaxis lengii is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae. The genus Diplotaxis contains numerous small chafers, many of which are attracted to lights at night. This species was described by Fall in 1909 and is known from the southern United States, particularly Louisiana and Texas. Members of this genus are often observed congregating on low vegetation, apparently to intercept pheromone trails in search of mates.
Diplotaxis mentalis
Diplotaxis mentalis is a small scarab beetle species described by Henry C. Fall in 1909. It belongs to the chafer subfamily Melolonthinae and tribe Diplotaxini. The species occurs in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Like other members of the genus Diplotaxis, adults are nocturnally active and frequently attracted to lights.
Diplotaxis mimosae
Diplotaxis mimosae is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae, and tribe Diplotaxini. The species was described by Fall in 1909. It is known from the southwestern United States (Arizona) and northwestern Mexico (Sonora). Like other members of the genus Diplotaxis, it is likely attracted to pheromones and may be found on low vegetation.
Diplotaxis moerens
Diplotaxis moerens is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by LeConte in 1856. The species is distributed across Central America and North America. Two subspecies are recognized: D. m. moerens and D. m. peninsularis. Like other members of the genus Diplotaxis, adults are small chafers that are frequently attracted to lights at night.
Diplotaxis obscura
Diplotaxis obscura is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is distributed across western and central North America, with records from the United States and Canada. The species belongs to the genus Diplotaxis, a group of small chafers often attracted to lights at night. Limited specific ecological information is available for this species.
Diplotaxis pubipes
Hairy-footed Diplotaxis
Diplotaxis pubipes is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae. The species was described by Schaeffer in 1907 and is known from the southern United States (Texas) and Mexico (San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Veracruz). Like other members of the genus Diplotaxis, it is attracted to lights at night and has been observed congregating on low vegetation, presumably to detect pheromone trails of potential mates.
Diplotaxis pumila
Diplotaxis pumila is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae, described by Fall in 1909. It belongs to the genus Diplotaxis, a group of chafers known for their nocturnal aggregation behavior on vegetation where males intercept female pheromone trails. The species is documented from the southwestern United States, particularly Arizona. Like other members of its genus, it is likely attracted to lights at night and may be active during summer months following rainfall events.
Diplotaxis rex
King Ranch Diplotaxis
Diplotaxis rex is a species of scarab beetle described by Vaurie in 1958. It belongs to the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae, and tribe Diplotaxini. The species is native to North America, with documented occurrence in Texas. Like other members of the genus Diplotaxis, it is a small chafer beetle. The common name "King Ranch Diplotaxis" suggests an association with the historic King Ranch region of southern Texas.
Diplotaxis rudis
Diplotaxis rudis is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by LeConte in 1859. It belongs to the subfamily Melolonthinae and tribe Diplotaxini. The species is found in North America, with records from Kansas, North Dakota, and Texas. Very little specific information about its biology or ecology has been documented in the available literature.
Diplotaxis rufa
Rufous Scarab Beetle
Diplotaxis rufa is a scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae. The species was described by Linell in 1896. Records indicate presence in the southeastern United States, specifically Florida and Georgia. As a member of the genus Diplotaxis, it belongs to a group commonly known as May beetles or June beetles, though specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented.
ScarabaeidaeMelolonthinaeColeopteraNearcticUSAFloridaGeorgia1896-descriptionLinellDiplotaxiniscarab-beetleMay-beetleJune-beetleLinell-1896Diplotaxis-rufa-Linell-1896scarabbeetleinsectarthropodanimalscarabaeoidpolyphagastaphyliniformiascarabaeoideadiplotaxisrufarufoussoutheastern-United-Statessoutheast-USNorth-AmericaNearctic-regionDiplotaxis rufiola
A small scarab beetle species in the genus Diplotaxis, described by Fall in 1909. It belongs to the tribe Diplotaxini within the subfamily Melolonthinae. The species has been documented across the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Diplotaxis simplex
Diplotaxis simplex is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae, and tribe Diplotaxini. It was described by Blanchard in 1851. The species is known to occur in Central America and North America. Very little detailed biological information has been published for this species.
Diplotaxis sordida
Diplotaxis sordida is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1825. It is a small chafer beetle found across eastern and central North America, from Canada through the eastern United States. The species is part of the diverse genus Diplotaxis, which includes numerous similar small scarab species that are often attracted to lights at night. Like other members of its genus, D. sordida is likely nocturnally active and associated with herbaceous vegetation.
Diplotaxis subangulata
Diplotaxis subangulata is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae, described by LeConte in 1856. The genus Diplotaxis comprises small chafers, and this species occurs across western North America from British Columbia to Baja California, with records throughout the southwestern United States. Adults have been observed congregating on low vegetation, apparently to intercept pheromone trails in search of mates. The species is attracted to lights at night.
Diplotaxis truncatula
Diplotaxis truncatula is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae. The species was described by LeConte in 1856 and is distributed across the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It belongs to a genus of chafers commonly attracted to lights at night.
Diplotaxis vandykei
Diplotaxis vandykei is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by Vaurie in 1958. The species belongs to the genus Diplotaxis, a group of small scarab beetles commonly known as sand chafers. It is found in North America, with distribution records indicating presence in the Nearctic region, specifically Alabama. Like other members of its genus, it likely inhabits sandy habitats and exhibits nocturnal activity patterns.
Eucanthus greeni
Green's Earth-boring Scarab Beetle
Eucanthus greeni is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It is found in North America, with recorded occurrences in the western United States, central Canada, and northern Mexico. The species belongs to a genus of beetles known for burrowing behavior in soil. As with other members of Geotrupidae, it likely participates in soil ecosystem processes, though specific ecological details remain limited in available literature.
Euparixia moseri
Euparixia moseri is a species of aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It was described by Woodruff and Cartwright in 1967. The species is known from North America, with records from Louisiana. As a member of the Aphodiinae, it is associated with dung decomposition.
Euphoria casselberryi
Euphoria casselberryi is a species of flower scarab beetle in the subfamily Cetoniinae. It belongs to a genus known for colorful, bee-mimicking adults that are fast, erratic fliers with a distinctive flight mechanism where the elytra remain closed while the membranous hind wings deploy. The species was described by Robinson in 1937 and is known from limited records in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Euphoria fulgida
emerald euphoria, emerald euphorium
Euphoria fulgida, commonly known as the emerald euphoria, is a flower chafer beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. This species exhibits remarkable color polymorphism, with most eastern U.S. populations appearing metallic green while western populations show blue-green, burgundy, or pink coloration. Adults are bee mimics with a unique wing mechanism allowing flight with elytra closed. The species has a one-year life cycle and is attracted to ethanol-based baits. Several subspecies have been described based on geographic variation in coloration.
Euphoria herbacea
Olive Flower Beetle
Euphoria herbacea is a medium-sized scarab beetle in the subfamily Cetoniinae, commonly known as flower chafers or fruit chafers. Adults measure 15–16 mm and display an olive-green coloration. The species is endemic to the United States, with its distribution centered on the central plains and areas east of the Mississippi River. Like other members of its genus, it is attracted to fermenting sap flows on trees and exhibits a distinctive flight morphology with hind wings that deploy while the elytra remain closed.
Eupleurus subterraneus
Eupleurus subterraneus is a scarab beetle species originally described by Linnaeus in 1758. Formerly classified in the genus Aphodius, it was reassigned to Eupleurus based on taxonomic revision. The species has been recorded across Europe, Asia, and North America, with two recognized subspecies: the nominate E. s. subterraneus and E. s. krasnojarskicus described from Russia in 1986. As a member of the dung beetle subfamily Aphodiinae, it likely participates in nutrient cycling through association with decomposing organic matter.
Flaviellus
Flaviellus is a genus of scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) in the subfamily Aphodiinae, described by Gordon and Skelley in 2007. It belongs to the tribe Aphodiini and subtribe Aphodiina. As a relatively recently described genus, it is part of the diverse group of dung beetles and their relatives within the scarab superfamily Scarabaeoidea. The genus is recognized as valid and accepted in current taxonomic databases.
Geotrupes balyi
Baly's earth-boring beetle
Geotrupes balyi is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It occurs in North America, with records from Canada and the eastern and central United States. As with other members of its genus, it is associated with mammal dung and forested habitats. The species was described by Jekel in 1865.
Geotrupes hornii
Horn's earth-boring beetle
Geotrupes hornii is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It is found in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Adults are most commonly observed between June and September, with peak activity in August. The species belongs to a group of beetles known for burrowing behavior and association with soil and organic matter.
Geotrupes ulkei
Ulke's earth boring beetle, Ulke's Earth-boring Scarab
Geotrupes ulkei is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. The species is currently classified under the genus Geotrupes, though some taxonomic sources list it as a synonym of Cnemotrupes ulkei. It is one of several North American species in this genus of burrowing beetles that utilize mammal dung and other organic materials for larval development.
Glaresis california
Glaresis california is a species of scarab beetle in the family Glaresidae, described in 2014 from California. Members of this family are small, soil-dwelling beetles often called 'enigmatic scarab beetles' due to their cryptic habits and uncertain phylogenetic placement. The species is known only from its type locality in California and is among the more recently described species in this poorly studied family.
Glaresis inducta
Glaresis inducta is a small scarab beetle in the family Glaresidae, a group sometimes called "enigmatic scarab beetles" due to their uncertain phylogenetic placement. The species was described by Horn in 1885 and is known from western and central North America, with records spanning from the southwestern United States through the Great Plains and into the upper Midwest. Glaresidae are among the smallest scarab beetles and are rarely encountered due to their cryptic habits and small size.
Glaresis medialis
Glaresis medialis is a species of scarab beetle in the family Glaresidae, a group commonly referred to as enigmatic scarab beetles. The species was described by Gordon in 1969 and is known from scattered records across western North America. It belongs to a small family of beetles whose biology remains poorly understood.
Gymnetina cretacea
Gymnetina cretacea is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Cetoniinae (flower chafers). The species was described by LeConte in 1863. A recently described subspecies, G. c. sundbergi, is endemic to the Organ Mountains of southern New Mexico. Adults have been captured in sweet red wine-baited traps in juniper/oak/pinyon woodland habitat.
Gymnopyge hopliaeformis
Gymnopyge hopliaeformis is a species of scarab beetle described by Linell in 1896. It belongs to the subfamily Melolonthinae, tribe Dichelonychini. The species is known from California and represents a rare component of the Nearctic scarab fauna. Very few observations exist, with only two records documented on iNaturalist.
Hoplia callipyge
Grapevine Hoplia
Hoplia callipyge is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, commonly known as the Grapevine Hoplia. Adults are active in spring and are recognized as minor agricultural and garden pests due to their feeding on rose petals and other flowers. The species occurs in western North America from British Columbia to Baja California. Larvae develop in soil, feeding on roots and decaying organic matter.
Hoplia modesta
Modest Chafer
Hoplia modesta is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Melolonthinae, commonly known as the Modest Chafer. It is distributed across eastern and central North America, with records from Ontario, Canada, and 24 U.S. states plus Washington D.C. The species belongs to the genus Hoplia, a group of chafers often associated with flowers and foliage.
Hoplia trifasciata
three-lined hoplia, three lined hoplium
Hoplia trifasciata is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It occurs in eastern North America, ranging from Canada through the eastern United States. The species is relatively small and belongs to a genus commonly known as hoplia beetles or monkey beetles.
Hoplia trivialis
Dark hoplia
Hoplia trivialis, commonly known as the dark hoplia, is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is native to North America and has been documented across a broad range of eastern and central United States. The species is relatively poorly studied compared to other scarab beetles, with limited published information on its biology and ecology.
Hybosorus illigeri
Illiger's Scavenger Scarab
A small scarab beetle in the family Hybosoridae with a remarkably broad global distribution spanning the Palaearctic, Afrotropical, Oriental, Madagascan, Nearctic, and Neotropical regions. First described from North Africa in 1853, it has established populations across multiple continents and is considered introduced in the United States, where its range continues to expand. The species is associated with decomposing organic matter.
Hypothyce
May beetles, Junebugs
Hypothyce is a genus of scarab beetles in the subfamily Melolonthinae, containing four described species in the United States. All species are restricted to isolated sandhill habitats along the North American Coastal Plain. The genus exhibits pronounced geographic isolation, with each species known from a single state: Texas, Georgia, or Alabama. Several species remain poorly known, with females undescribed for three of four species.
Hypothyce mixta
East Texas Hypothyce
Hypothyce mixta is a species of scarab beetle described by Howden in 1968. It belongs to the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Melolonthinae. The species has been recorded from sandy soils in eastern Texas, representing a restricted distribution within the Nearctic region. Like other members of the genus Hypothyce, it is likely associated with soil habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Labarrus pseudolividus
Labarrus pseudolividus is a dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) native to the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with introduced populations in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Africa. The species has been used as a model organism in methodology studies testing flotation and sieve-separation techniques for collecting dung beetles from dung pats. It is classified as a 'dweller' type dung beetle that inhabits dung rather than tunneling beneath it.
Lechorodius
Lechorodius is a genus of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It was established by Gordon and Skelley in 2007 and is currently recognized as valid. The genus belongs to the tribe Aphodiini and is part of the diverse group of dung beetles and related taxa within the scarab superfamily Scarabaeoidea.
Liatongus
Liatongus is a genus of dung beetles in the subfamily Scarabaeinae, family Scarabaeidae. The genus contains 38–46 species, with 17 species occurring in Africa. Members are small to medium-sized beetles, ranging from 7.4 to 10.9 mm in length. The genus is distributed across three major biogeographic regions: Afrotropical, Oriental to eastern Palearctic, and western Nearctic.
Lichnanthe albipilosa
White Sand Bear Scarab Beetle
Lichnanthe albipilosa is a species of scarab beetle in the family Glaphyridae, described by Carlson in 1980. It is endemic to California, USA, and is commonly known as the White Sand Bear Scarab Beetle. The species belongs to a small family of beetles associated with sandy habitats.