''Trichostetha fascicularis'' is a large, metallic-green beetle found in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
.
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
protea
''Protea'' () is a genus of South African flowering plants, also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: ''suikerbos''). It is the type genus of the Proteaceae family.
About 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mo ...
s occur. Adults feed on the pollen and nectar. They live in
fynbos
Fynbos (; , ) is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. The area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean climate. The fynbos ...
, mountainous habitats, and residential gardens if its food supply is available.
Subspecies
''Trichostetha 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