A Scarab Beetle On Gray Dogwood Blooms

June 1, 2026

This is a species of scarab beetle, the Hairy Flower Scarab (Trichiotinus affinis). They enjoy eating the pollen and nectar of broad, flat flowers such as this Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa) bloom.

As larvae they eat rotting dead trees such as oak, elm and aspen. They’re native to eastern North America.

And before I forget, happy first day of meteorological summer!

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.