Cedar Creek
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Insects of Cedar Creek
Order COLEOPTERA
Family SCARABAEIDAE
(Lamellicorn Beetles)
(Table of Species)
TROGINAE
Species of Trox
(6+spp--punctatus, aequalis,
unistriatus,
tuberculatus,
foveicollis,
hamatus)
have been collected in carrion baited pitfall traps. They are scavengers
of desiccated carcasses.
COPRINAE
Members of this subfamily are dung provisioners and are commonly taken
in pitfall traps. Canthon nigricornis
provisions with deer pellets and is ubiquitous and abundant especially
in drier old fields. Copris tullius
is a larger beetle, the male with a horn on its head. It has been taken
from a few fields. Onthophagus hecate
and the purple
O. janus are common woodland inhabitants.
O.
nuchicornis (black and white) is an uncommon species of fields.
Choeridium histeroides reported for Minnesota, but not collected
at Cedar Creek.
APHODIINAE
Perhaps six undifferentiated species of Aphodius
and six species of Ataenius
have been collected. They are dung feeders but do not provision. Dialytes
striatulus found in Minnesota, but not collected at Cedar Creek.
GEOTRUPINAE
The red Eucanthus lazarus
has been collected at light. Species of Geotrupes
(3 spp--splendidus,
blackburnii,
semiopacus)
feed on dung, carrion, or fungi in decaying logs. They are readily taken
in carrion baited pitfall traps. A single specimen of Bolbocerosoma
sp collected by Larry Louisiana.
MELOLONTHINAE
This subfamily includes the June Beetles (Phyllophaga
ca 5+spp.). Larvae of this subfamily feed on the roots of grasses and other
plants. Adult June Beetles feed at night on flowers and foliage and readily
come to light. One specimen of Polyphylla
sp collected at light. Serica
(3spp--tristis,
sericea,
carinata?)
and Dichelonyx (3+spp--albicollis,
subvittata,
testacea)
are uncommon species of savanna and woodland.
Macrodactylus
subspinosus, the Rose Chafer, is abundant on many plants in
June. Hoplia (2 spp--trifasciata,
modesta)
are most frequently encountered at Prunus/Amelanchier blooms
in late spring. A single specimen of Diplotaxis
sp collected.
RUTELINAE
Larvae of this subfamily also feed on plant roots. Adults feed on foliage
or fruits. Anomala binotata
is sometimes common in spring and fall in weedy fields. A second
species of Anomala taken in the Biodiversity Gardens in June
2000. Strigoderma arboricola
is an abundant often aggravating species (crawling into one's hair) of
early summer. Cotalpa lanigera,
the Goldsmith Beetle, is a relatively uncommon large yellow Scarab. Pelidnota
punctata found in Minnesota, but not collected at Cedar Creek.
DYNASTINAE
Aphonus tridentatus
is a common species taken in pitfalls primarily in mesic-grassy fields.
Larvae feed on plant roots. Genera found in Minnesota but not collected
at Cedar Creek include: Ligyrus, Xyloryctes, Strategus...
CETONIINAE
Two species of Euphoria
have been collected. Larvae of these species are reported to live in decaying
wood, but I suspect that some live as scavengers in ant nests (primarily
those of Formica obscuripes).
E. inda (yellow with
black flecks) is commonly seen buzzing over
Formica mounds in spring.
On descending to the mound it is immediately covered by ants. E.
fulgida (bright green) is much less common and is generally found
at Prunus or Amelanchier blooms in the spring. Stephanucha
pilipennis (black with orange markings) is an early spring
species seen flying over sandy roads. It too appears to be associated
with ants. Trichiotinus assimilis
and T. piger? are common on Rubus flowers.
Osmoderma
eremicola is a fairly common large brown Scarab found in rotten
logs. Cremastochilus knochi and Gnorimella maculosa
found in Minnesota but not collected at Cedar Creek. I thank Matt
Paulsen (U/Nebraska, Lincoln) for identifying the Stephanucha which
I erroneously identified as a Euphoria in an earlier version of
this Webpage.
| webmaster@cedarcreek.umn.edu | Last updated 26 March 2001 |