Valgus hemipterus | |
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Male | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Scarabaeidae |
Subfamily: | Cetoniinae |
Genus: | Valgus |
Species: | V. hemipterus |
Binomial name | |
Valgus hemipterus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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Synonyms | |
Scarabaeus hemipterus |
Scarabaeus hemipterus
Valgus hemipterus is a smallish species of scarab beetle (family Scarabaeidae) found in the Northern Hemisphere.
This species reaches a body length of 6–10 mm. The scales on the body of the male are dark with a light pattern, while most scales in females are dark. The elytrae are shortened and do not cover the entire body. Females bear a striking long telson, which makes them easily distinguishable from the males.
It occurs from the Caucasus and Turkey to North Africa and southern and central Europe, ranging northwestwards to the Netherlands. The species has been introduced to parts of North America, especially Ontario, Michigan and Ohio. The beetles, which can be found from May to June on flowers or wood, are relatively common. The larvae feed on dead wood of birch and other trees. V. hemipterus spends the winter as a pupa.