| Pachnoda sinuata | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Subfamily: | Cetoniinae |
| Genus: | Pachnoda |
| Species: | P. sinuata |
| Binomial name | |
| Pachnoda sinuata (Fabricius, 1775) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Pachnoda sinuata, the garden fruit chafer or brown-and-yellow fruit chafer, is a species of beetle found in Africa from the Congo basin southwards.
Contents |
The species is part of the large family Scarabaeidae, which also include the scarabs and dung beetles. This species is large with a smooth carapace. Colouration is variable but basically yellow with dark brown central area broken by yellow spots and a transverse yellow line across the rear of the elytra.
Adult beetles feed on flowers and fruit, often destroying them in the process which makes them unpopular with gardeners. While commonly found on exotic plants like roses and camellias, these beetles also feed on a range of indigenous plants including Acacia.
Adults lay their eggs in manure and compost heaps or among plant roots. The pupae develop inside large, egg-shaped protective clay shells.
This species is a popular prey species for many species of bird, such as red-winged starlings and Hadeda Ibises.
It ranges widely over Sub-Saharan Africa and thus are found in a variety of habitats. They are commonly found in gardens.