Sun beetle - Pachnoda marginata peregrina
Sun beetles, I had some time today to research them ! I still think they look like cappuccino beetles or cappubeetles, so adorable !
@hispaatra, @zick-the-fairy, this might interest you :)
Description and biology
After mating, the female lays an egg in moist ground, which hatches after a short time into a larva that feeds voraciously for two to five months. The larvae are very small when they hatch, but can grow as long as 60 millimetres.
Fun fact : The larvae of the Pachnoda can sometimes make a low snore-like noise when making their cocoons.
When the larva has matured, it pupates for several weeks, and then transforms into an adult beetle.
Pachnoda marginata peregrina, as an adult beetle, is a pale yellow or orange with brown spots; one spot being on the thorax and two spots on each elytra on each wing. Sometimes the spots on the elytra are almost unnoticeable, as they seem to blend in with the rest of the body, this can be seen in the picture on the left. The adult beetles are 20 to 30 millimetres.
Behaviour
Sun beetles are incredible fliers, meaning they can easily evade predators and as the name suggests, they are more active in the day. They feed on ripe and rotten fruit and wood.
Distribution
Pachnoda marginata is a beetle that lives in west and central Africa. They are often found perching on Acacia trees.
