We can observe two beautifully colored beetles in the Netherlands and Belgium. One is the golden beetle and the other is the dented golden beetle. Both are family of the Scarabaeidae (beetles) and have a metallic green color that shines like a jewel in the grass in sunny weather. The two types of golden beetles are very similar and the most obvious difference is at the bottom of the golden beetles. Fortunately, there are several small differences between the two beetles that collectively are the “golden beetles”. are called.
- Golden beetle and dented golden beetle
- Similarities golden beetle and dented golden beetle (the golden beetles)
- Differences golden beetle and dented golden beetle
- The environment of the grubs
Golden beetle and dented golden beetle
Tor is another word for beetle. The golden beetle (Cetonia aurata) and the dented golden beetle (Protaetia metallica, formerly Protaetia cuprea or Potosia cuprea) are beetles of the insect (Insecta) and beetle (Coleoptera) class. The golden beetle and the dented golden beetle are both family of the scarabaeidae. However, the golden beetle comes from the genus Cetonia and the dented golden beetle from the genus Protaetia. Both types are very similar.
Other sexes
Other known beetles belonging to the Scarabaeidae family are the:
- dung beetles (genus Geotrupidae);
- brush beetles (genus Trichius);
- May beetles (genus Melolonthidae);
- June beetles (genus Amphimallon);
- julian beetles (genus Polyphylla);
- rose beetles (genus Phyllopertha).
Head and thorax dented golden beetleSimilarities golden beetle and dented golden beetle (the golden beetles)
The golden beetle (Cetonia aurata) and the dented golden beetle (Protaetia metallica) together are striking, large and beautifully colored beetles that together also make up the ?? golden beetles ?? are called. The golden beetle and the dented golden beetle have a metallic green color that shines like a green emerald. They are quite large beetles and both beetles are insects from the family Scarabaeidae (leaf beetles) and grow to about 20 millimeters. The golden beetles can be found on flowers, in flowery grass and on flowering shrubs and trees. The beetles fly from May to July / August. The golden beetles have a body that can be roughly divided into three parts, namely:
- the head (caput);
- the chest piece (thorax);
- the abdomen (abdomen).
The head
The golden beetles have a hardened plate in the area of the head, between the eyes and antennae, that protects the head
(head shield or vertex). The antennae of the beetles, on either side of the head shield, end in a fan consisting of three parts (lamellae). The slats can fan out and allow the beetle to detect odors when looking for food or a mate. The eyes, just above the antennae, are black and round and resemble small black beads.
Clamp with the legsBrisket
The golden beetles have three pairs of legs and a pair of wings. The thorax consists of the front segment (neck shield, prothorax or pronotum) and carries the front pair of legs. The bottom of this piece is called the prosternum (the prosternum looks different on the two golden beetles and is the main difference). The middle part (mesothorax) carries the middle pair of legs and the elytra. The posterior segment (metathorax) carries the hind legs and the wing pair. The beetles have a small triangle at the top of the two elytra in the middle, the scutellum or shield.
The bottom of the neck shield with the prosternumThe abdomen
The elytra cover the golden beetles like a hood and are unable to spread and fly with the wings. While the beetle is flying, the elytra raise slightly and the wings are pushed through.
Legs
The ends of the legs (tarsus) of the golden beetles have hooks with which they can clamp themselves to, for example, thin blades of grass. The legs have spines (spurs) that allow the male to cling to the female during mating.
Differences golden beetle and dented golden beetle
The golden beetle and the dented golden beetle are very similar. Several pictures of the beetle can provide a definite answer. Decide which beetle is on the photo. The differences are minimal but can sometimes be clearly seen through a macro image or zoomed photo. Differences as:
| Differences | Golden beetle | Dented golden beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Elytra | No dents on the elytra | Some horizontal dents on the elytra from top to bottom |
| Color elytra | Greenish golden in color with thin, small light-colored stripes across the elytra, which consist of white hairs (hair spots or toment) | More dark green in color (copper-colored) and usually more white hair spots |
| Knees | Does not have white hair spots on the knees | May have white hair spots on the knees (hard to see) |
| Breast projection (prosternum) on the underside of the beetle | The shape of the breast projection (the thorn) is convex | The shape of the breast projection on the bottom of the beetle is flat |
| Larvae (grubs) | The grubs develop in rotting and rotten wood | The grubs develop in a forest ant nest |
The best identification feature is the shape of the breast projection (prosternum) at the bottom of the beetle.
The dented golden beetleThe environment of the grubs
The larvae of the golden beetles are called grubs. The grubs of a dented golden beetle can be found in a nest of red forest ants where they live on nest material that the ants carry on. The grubs of the golden beetle live on rotting and rotten wood from dead trees. This in contrast to the infamous grubs of the May beetles, which feed on living hair roots and destroy entire lawns and plants for years. The grubs of the golden beetles have a curved worm-like body with a creamy-white color. The grubs of the golden beetles stay underground for one to several years, which depends somewhat on the weather (grubs that live in a compost heap of the golden beetle, grow much faster because the ambient temperature is higher there). The warmer it is, the shorter the grubs phase lasts. After experiencing three stages as grubs with three molts, the grubs dig a way out to pupate in their own feces in a so-called pop room. After a good three weeks, an adult golden beetle emerges from the cocoon or pupa and after a few days the female is sexually mature.
