What's this wild beetle?(western PA)

[jamest0o0]

These things are all over the place out of nowhere. They fly and are big, some are almost 2 inches. Wondering about feeding to my chams.

 

[kyle0417]

Quick internet search led me to believe it’s a masked chafer beetle. Unsure of feeding it to chams, if you get them from an unknown source I wouldn’t

 

[jamest0o0]

Good call. What did you search to find this? I didn't know what to put into google.

Their grubs eat roots and decaying plant material. Apparently they are edible to humans. Maybe I will try feeding some off. Anyone else have these?

 

[kyle0417]

I looked up brown beetle with 6 spots on it.

 

[nightanole]

Slow clap...

You have won an internet tonight Kyle.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

I actually don't believe it is a masked chafer beetle. I also looked it up, and it looks more like a grapevine beetle. In fact, I am sure that picture is of a grapevine beetle. I am not sure about the safety of this beetle, nor any facts, but I am sure that it's a grapevine.

 

[jamest0o0]

Yes actually googling "brown beetle with 6 spots" came up with grapevine beetle. Though that was still a good search though lol. Guess I fail at Google.

 

[Angelwolf]

I would be leary of feeding them. They may be showing up due to exposure to pesticides being sprayed on there crops. I had a huge amount of stink bugs in my old house, and the sudden emergence coincided with the tree nursery spraying the fields that were all around our town. Also, being a beetle I would assume there is a very large amount of keratin in it's exoskeleton which could lead to fecal impaction.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

I would be leary of feeding them. They may be showing up due to exposure to pesticides being sprayed on there crops. I had a huge amount of stink bugs in my old house, and the sudden emergence coincided with the tree nursery spraying the fields that were all around our town. Also, being a beetle I would assume there is a very large amount of keratin in it's exoskeleton which could lead to fecal impaction.

So yeah, its better to be safe than sorry.

 

[kyle0417]

Right, I got a picture of that beetle labeled as a chafer...

 

[kyle0417]

I went off of this image, lol.

 

[jamest0o0]

I'd imagine they're pretty similar. All good though, I appreciate the help guys

 

[jamest0o0]

I would be leary of feeding them. They may be showing up due to exposure to pesticides being sprayed on there crops. I had a huge amount of stink bugs in my old house, and the sudden emergence coincided with the tree nursery spraying the fields that were all around our town. Also, being a beetle I would assume there is a very large amount of keratin in it's exoskeleton which could lead to fecal impaction.

Good points. In this particular case I don't think it's due to pesticide use, but that's something good to think about. These beetles apparently emerge from the ground to mate at night and are drawn to lights. Probably the reason they show up on the porch. The hard shell could be an issue though for sure.

On a side note. All of us pennsylvanians know the stink bugs all too well lol. They used to swarm our house!

 

[Angelwolf]

On a side note. All of us pennsylvanians know the stink bugs all too well lol. They used to swarm our house!

Evil. Evil creatures they are...