Scarab Beetles

Family Scarabaeidae

Grapevine beetle (Pelidnota punctata). Photo:Stephanie Boucher

Most adult scarab beetles are either scavengers and feed on dung and other decomposing materials, or phytophagous (plant-eating) and feed on grasses, foliage, fruits and flowers. Some of the larvae live on the roots of plants and the emerging adults feed on the foliage of the plants. A few of these beetles are considered serious pests of lawns, golf greens, and various crops. The adults and larvae are nocturnal and are often attracted to light. Some of the largest known beetles belong to this family; for example, the rhinoceros beetles of the tropics is over 120 mm in length. The majority of these beetles are dark coloured black or brown but some are brightly coloured. Scarab beetles are heavy-bodied, oval or elongated and the clubbed antennae is composed of 3 to 7 leaves or lamellae.