''Trichostetha fascicularis'' is a large, metallic-green beetle found in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

Description

The Protea Beetle is about 25mm long. It has metallic-green wing cases with a black head and thorax which has two white vertical stripes. It has orange hairs growing around the bottom of its body.

Habitat

It is found in South Africa wherever proteas occur. Adults feed on the pollen and nectar. They live in

fynbos Fynbos (; meaning fine plants) is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. This area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean clim ...

, mountainous habitats, and residential gardens if its food supply is available.

Subspecies

''T. fascicularis'' has four subspecies: *''Trichostetha fascicularis maraisi'' Stobbia, 1995 *''Trichostetha fascicularis natalis'' Burmeister, 1842 *''Trichostetha fascicularis nigripennis'' Allard, 1992 *''Trichostetha fascicularis prunipennis'' Burmeister, 1842

References

Cetoniinae Beetles of Africa Insects of South Africa Beetles described in 1805 {{Cetoniinae-stub