Trichostetha fascicularis (Protea beetle) 

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda > Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola > Holometabola > Coleoptera (beetles) > Polyphaga > Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea > Family: Scarabaeidae > Subfamily: Cetoniinae > Tribe: Cetoniini

A large beetle, 25mm. The underside bears distinct yellow/orange hairs. Adults fly noisily around Protea bushes and when they visit the flowers, they bury themselves head first. These  beetles are not attracted to fruit as is the case in many other cetoniids.

Trichostetha fascicularis (Protea beetle), 25mm.  [image H. Robertson, Iziko ©].	Trichostetha fascicularis on Leucospermum concocarpodendron flowerhead.  [image H. Robertson, Iziko ©].

Page by Margie Cochrane