No one has jumped on this ID promptly probably because we don't recognize it. It's one of the chafer or scarab beetles but that doesn't help much...there's about a zillion species of those. We don't even know if yours is a plant pest or something that has come in to take care of the leftovers.

Hopefully, someone will jump in to help.....and I will keep looking.

This post was edited by rhizo_1 on Sat, Oct 11, 14 at 17:53

Thank you rhizo_1. Yes, the bedbug reply confused me a little. These bugs are soo gross, and I've had a lot of pests in my garden. They're kind of furry underneath, yellowish, blackish-kind of reminds me of a bumble bee. At first I saw 4 or 5 in a group and then later when I had my camera there was only one. The white foamy stuff has probably appeared with this beetle as well. I can take more pics if that might help. Mostly I'm concerned if they're actually harmful or not for next year's crop.

Okay, you're description clarifies it for me.....I couldn't see the hairy underbelly in your image.

I believe that your beetles are Bumble Flower Beetles (Euphoria inda). They are attracted to the decaying vegetation, as I thought, and really are not considered a pest. Their larvae are white grubs, like other scarabs.

The grubs feed on rotting vegetation and the adults will swarm around oozing plants (injured or diseased).

Check out several images on Google to see if it's a match. I say several because these beetles can be somewhat variable.

It looks like a stink bug.

Nothing like a stinkbug. :-) Stinkbugs aren't beetles and there's no question that this insect is a real beetle.

Wow, thank you so much! I am so happy to ID this beetle, definitely a Bumble Flower Beetle, after I googled more images. Who knew such happy, helpful beetles existed, even though I still think they look kind of gross :) Thank you Rhizo_1 for your help.

what a pic ...!!!

it does look like a stinkbug ... if you presume.. you are looking at its butt ...

bear with me rhiz... we arent all bug-o-gists ...

mostly because of the triangular backside ...

BUT!!! .. pun intended... if we are looking at its head ... it looks like a beetle ...

go figure ... unintended trick photography ...

anyway ... this is a good lesson .. in allowing MOST of ma natures buggy little friends to live ... too many peeps ... what them all dead ... regardless of value... etc ... [if they ever take the time to ID and find if there is a value]

but if you go a bit more zen ... like i did when i moved to 5 acres... and couldnt afford to slaughter everything.. like back in suburbia... lol ... in 14 years ... there have only been one or two outbreaks.. that required any action on my part ... live an let live.. is now my formula ...

bugs.. except in biblical proportions.. rarely.. kill plants ... and even if a population spikes one year.. it might be 17 years.. before it happens again .... and so what.. if they take out an annual ....

and.. NEVER treat for bugs... when the season is over ... as per the thought above ... in the north anyway .... [slug hunting in fall in hostadom may be one exception .... but its not a chem thing]

anyway.. all this.. due to a neat pic ...

for most everything .. full fall cleanup is all you do.. this time of year ...

ken

ps: two?? .. pinesaw larve.. until i realized.. they are eating last years needles only ... unless it is some prime hundred dollar 6 inch specimen tree .... and i used to battle jbeetle grubs ... 3 acres of lawn stopped that nonsense... lol ... it was a simple fix.. i started calling it a meadow ... lol ... instead of a lawn ... so what if there are brown patches.. distance lends enchantment ... it was like breaking a heroin habit.. to un-become.. a lawn warrior .... no fert.. no weed killer ... no grub killing ... etc ... time to go.. have a great day ....

You're very welcome, jbaldwin. I agree that these beetles aren't the prettiest things around. I'm glad that you appreciate their role in the environment.

It's often difficult to make heads or tails of your zen moments, ken. But I think that I should warn you to be watchful of the pine sawflies. There are a few different species and some are capable of doing considerable damage to pines. And are capable of killing a tree if unchecked defoliation occurs for two or three years. Pine sawflies feed in different ways, depending on the species.....new AND older foliage.