# Dark Flower Scarab (*Euphoria sepulcralis*) The Dark Flower Scarab is a shiny black beetle that loves to munch on flowers. It helps flowers grow by spreading pollen while it eats, making it a little gardener in nature! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 27 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Dark Flower Scarab](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Euphoria_sepulcralisPCCA20040512-1755A.jpg&width=800) Photo: Patrick Coin ( Patrick Coin ), CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Euphoria_sepulcralisPCCA20040512-1755A.jpg) ## Appearance The Dark Flower Scarab is a small, broad beetle with a shiny, dark metallic bronze or black body, often exhibiting green or purplish iridescence. Its shell (elytra) is covered in tiny pits, distinguishing it from smoother, brighter flower scarabs. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Scarabaeidae - **Genus:** Euphoria ## Interesting facts - Baby scarabs, called grubs, live underground munching on old wood! - Its dark, shiny shell looks like polished metal! - These scarabs love sunshine and are often seen buzzing on bright blooms! - They use fuzzy antennae to smell tasty flowers from far away! ## Special abilities - **Pollination Power:** Dark Flower Scarab can spread pollen between flowers because of its fuzzy body, which helps plants make seeds. - **Flower Finder:** Dark Flower Scarab has special antennae that help them smell sweet flowers from far away to find their next meal. - **Burrowing Grubs:** Baby Dark Flower Scarabs (grubs) can burrow underground to eat decaying wood, helping recycle forest materials. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 9-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip nectar and pollen from flowers, while their babies eat old wood. - **Age differences:** Larvae eat decaying wood and organic matter; adults feed on flowers and fruit. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Pollen, Decaying fruit, Decaying wood (larvae) - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Black-eyed Susan (*Rudbeckia hirta*) — Helps this flower produce seeds. - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Robins are known to eat various ground insects. - **Eats:** Masked Shrew (*Sorex cinereus*) — Shrews feast on the grubs found in soil. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low It's best to watch these beetles from a distance and not touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dark Flower Scarab? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is Dark Flower Scarab? 9-15 mm ### How long does Dark Flower Scarab live? 30-60 days ### What does Dark Flower Scarab eat? Adults sip nectar and pollen from flowers, while their babies eat old wood. ### Where is Dark Flower Scarab usually found? Urban areas ### How does Dark Flower Scarab hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Dark Flower Scarab have? 6 ## Where to spot - [Advance Mills](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/advance-mills) — Virginia, US · Neighborhood - [Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albemarle-and-chesapeake-canal) — Virginia, US · Historic Site - [Camp Evans](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/camp-evans) — New Jersey, US · Historic Site - [Charleston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charleston-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [East Wetumpka Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-wetumpka-commercial-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [French Quarter](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/french-quarter) — US · Neighborhood [View all places to see Dark Flower Scarab](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dark-flower-scarab) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Dark Flower Scarab: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dark-flower-scarab)