100 More Species #41: Grapevine beetle

Grapevine beetle Pelidnota punctata

I had no idea we had these large beetles in our yard before we attracted them to mercury vapor lamps. During the Dedham Bioblitz they arrived, big as the end of your thumb. One of our naturalists, Sam Jaffe, had a particular connection to this insect, but I can't remember exactly what. Soon the insect had its own connection to Sam, as it dug its tarsal claws into the skin of his hand. For a while Sam was unable to remove the beetle from his hand without injuring it, preferring to endure some discomfort rather than risk breaking a leg from the animal. Then he attached one to his forehead.

The grapevine beetle is in the scarab family, along with Japanese and oriental beetles as well as dung beetles. The larvae can develop in the rotting wood of several different kinds of hardwood trees, including maple--which occurs in the yard--and oak and apple, which grow in neighboring yards. The adult feeds on the foliage and fruit of grapes, which we provide in abundance.