Tree was deciduous
Maculated Scarab, Gnorimella maculosa, Durham County, NC. This beetle flew onto a Box Elder tree adjacent to a line of ants while I was standing in a parking lot, talking to a friend. I had time for just two shots before it flew off. This beetle is rather uncommonly photographed--a beetle expert friend (@sc_beetles) says he has never seen a published photo of a living specimen, see posting from 21 April, 2005:
bugguide.net/node/view/15371/
Comment on that posting:
"A first?
I have never seen a photo of this species in the wild - very good.
… Phillip Harpootlian, 22 April, 2005 - 6:48am"
Other BugGuide photos of living individuals date from 2008.
There is a photo of this species in Stephen Marshall's Book, Insects--their Natural History and Diversity (2006).
Though I do not know when that 2006 photo was taken, this would appear to be the first photo of a living individual published (online or otherwise)
I have not seen it again as of March 2024.
Biofact inventory. Unable to ID. Any ideas?