Figeater beetle

Cotinis mutabilis, also known as the figeater beetle (also green fruit beetle or fig beetle), is a member of the scarab beetle family. It belongs to the subfamily Cetoniinae, comprising a group of beetles commonly called flower chafers since many of them feed on pollen, nectar, or petals.[1] Its habitat is primarily the southwestern United States and Mexico.[1] Figeater beetles are often mistaken for green June beetles (Cotinis nitida) and occasionally Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica), which occur in the eastern US.[1]

Figeater beetle larvae, commonly called "crawly backs",[2] roll on their backs and propel themselves upsidedown. Adult figeater beetles grow to approximately 1.25 inches (3.2 cm).[3] They are a semi-glossy green on the top and a brilliant iridescent green on the underside and legs.[3] They are active during daylight hours, often congregating in the shade of trees near choice breeding grounds to find mates.

The figeater beetle is native to moister areas of the American southwest, where its natural diet includes fruit from cacti and sap from desert trees.[1] Their range has expanded considerably since the 1960s with the increasing availability of home gardens, compost piles, and organic mulch.[1][3] The larvae eat decomposing organic matter, such as that found in compost piles, manure piles, and organic mulch, and occasionally plant roots, such as the roots of grass in lawns.[1][3] The adult's primary food has become fruit in gardens and orchards.[1]