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Rainbow Scarab

uncommon

Rainbow Scarab

Phanaeus vindex

Habitat
Pastures, woodlands and dung heaps across the eastern and central United States
Body length
22 mm
Order
Coleoptera · Scarabaeidae

Weird but real

A dung beetle sheathed in metallic green, copper and gold, with males sporting a curved rhinoceros-like horn.

Why it's cool

It buries manure to raise its young, recycling the prairie while dressed like a walking jewel — beauty doing dirty work.

Photographs

USA, TX, Bastrop Co.: Red Rock 300 Lockwood Dr. 26-iii-2016 A. Santillana coll.
Insects Unlocked · CC0 · source
A Geotrupes in the Hough collection. Caught August 25th, 2007.
IvanTortuga · Public domain · source