Coleoptera52 species

Family Earth-Boring Scarab Beetles (Geotrupidae)

Geotrupidae is a family in the order Coleoptera. Browse 52 named species recorded in this family, or open an individual profile for its available identification and natural-history information.

Species in Geotrupidae (52)

Anoplotrupes stercorosus

12 to 19 mm. A short-oval and very convex species, the dorsal surface is black with a distinct metallic blue reflection and the ventral surface is bright metallic blue. Unless identified by a recognised expert, a photo is required. If the photo doesn

Bolbocerosoma biplagiatum

Identification: last couplet in Howden: Elytral spot almost circular; black border at posterior of pronotum usually extended forward at the midline, making a spikelike pattern; pronotal declivity coarsely punctate only in apical half. Variation in th

Bolbocerosoma confusum

Identification: Elytral spot almost twice as long as wide; basal black border of pronotum not projecting forward at midline; pronotal declivity with at least the apical two-thirds coarsely punctate

Bolbocerosoma elongatum

Identification: last couplet in Howden Body shape elongate; vertex and pronotum at most moderately coarsely punctured; vague circular postmedian elytral spot confined to posterior third of elytron; lateral lobe of male genital capsule about 1.8 times

Bolbocerosoma hamatum

Identification: A medium-large, very convex beetle, boldly patterned in reddish/yellowish and brownish-black.

Bolbocerosoma lepidissimum

Identification: The lack of second elytral stria, the sparse punctures, the male genitalia, and usually the color are diagnostic

Bolbocerosoma pusillum

Identification: among NE spp., note small size, 5 elytral striae betw. suture and humerus, elytral intervals w/ sparse setae, and suture and apical half of elytra black

Bolbocerosoma tumefactum

Identification: Orange-brown with dark markings. Note medial dark spot on pronotum, often merging with basal band.

Bradycinetulus ferrugineus

Purportedly attracted to light, but I can't confirm that*. On the other hand, I've dug up MANY in burrows that are often 2-3 feet deep. Can be locally very abundant. P.H. *in June 2021, I collected one at a MV/UV light sheet in southern Georgia, as c

Bradycinetulus rex

Type Locality: Sarita, Kenedy Co., Texas; 30 Nov 1911

Gopher Beetle

Ceratophyus gopherinus

Information about parental care and larval food: Robert Duff, personal communication. Richter and Duff (1971) discuss the origin of this beetle in California: "In 1962, a strange, deep burrowing, geotrupid beetle was found in Santa Barbara County, Ca

Eucanthus greeni

Literature record only for TX. Ratcliffe gives the range of this species as "... Alberta and Manitoba in Canada south to Texas." We are not aware of specific records for Texas but given its known range, it is expected to occur in the Texas Panhandle.

Eucanthus impressus

Identification: median row of pronotal punctures extends down through the pronotal ridge, almost to the head

Eucanthus lazarus

Identification: median row of pronotal punctures does not extend down through the lateral pronotal ridge to the head Det. M. A. Quinn, 2014

Eucanthus subtropicus

Identification: lateral edge of eye canthus protruding Det. M. A. Quinn, 2012 Fairly common at lights, apparently not attracted to fermenting baits

Blackburn's Earth Boring Beetle

Geotrupes blackburnii

Blackburn's Earth Boring Beetle (Geotrupes blackburnii) is a species in the family Geotrupidae, commonly known as earth-boring scarab beetles, belonging to the order Coleoptera (Beetles). It is classified within the subfamily Geotrupinae, suborder Po

Eger's Earth Boring Beetle

Geotrupes egeriei

Identification: Black with blue or green hue; oval, convex. Pronotum deeply, coarsely punctate laterally. Elytral striae deep, differently colored.

Opaque Earth Boring Beetle

Geotrupes opacus

Identification: Moderately dull; black; elytra without striae, just rows of punctures (same as ulkei ) - easy to ID

Geotrupes spiniger

A big black and slightly lustrous dung beetle. Very similar to Geotrupes stercorarius but in Geotrupes spiniger the outer edge of the mandible has a distinct lobe. The larvae live in the dung of herbivores. Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain.

Geotrupes stercorarius

A large beetle up to 26 mm long and weakly lustrous, the legs in particular having a bluish tinge. The body shape is very compact and arched toward the top. It is commonly known a the Dor Beetle and also as the Dung Beetle. There are other very simil

Ulke's Earth Boring Beetle

Geotrupes ulkei

Identification: Elytra with striae obsolete, suture fused.

Odonteus thoracicornis

Identification: Males usually have pronotal armature, sometimes large curving projections. Among the NA species, this one is most similar to the European O. armiger

Florida Deepdigger Scarab

Peltotrupes profundus

Identification: Sutural stria by tip of scutellum definitely impressed, other striae evident; color largely purple species of special concern

Young's Deepdigger Scarab

Peltotrupes youngi

Identification: Sutural stria by tip of scutellum not impressed, other striae generally obsolete; color largely green

Spring Dumbledor

Trypocopris vernalis

14 to 20 mm. A rather dull black in colour with a variable blue, green or pale pink metallic reflection, the underside is usually metallic blue and the body is rounded in outline. The pronotum is clearly punctured with both large and small punctures.

Minotaur Beetle

Typhaeus typhoeus

12 to 20mm. Shining black. The pronotum of the male has forward-projecting horns on either side, slightly variable in length, tending to be proportionately longer in larger specimens. There is a smaller horn in the centre. The female lacks the horns