Taxicab Beetle
Pachnoda peregrina
This variegated yellow-trimmed beetle often feeds in groups, and perhaps
then does look like a fleet of taxicabs jockeying for position. Eggs
hatch into pale soft-bodied grubs that feed in compost and dung, and
then pupate inside small earthen cocoons. The taxicab and yellow-bellied
beetles belong to the same genus.
Fact file:
Lifespan: 6 to 8 months
Ecological Role: Herbivore and decomposer
Habitat: Tropical scrub forest
Diet: Ripe fruit and tree sap
Current Range: Democratic Republic on Congo