Sun beetle

Pachnoda marginata

Sun beetle on a log

IMAGE: Laura Moore 2024

Status

NE DD LC NT VU EN CR EW EX

For more info on classifications visit www.iucnredlist.org

We are home to a group of sun beetles that can be found in our Wee Beasties building.

Population

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Unknown

Diet

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Herbivore

Habitat

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Forest

Fact file

  • Sun beetles are native to West and Central Africa, commonly found on Acacia trees and feeding on ripe and rotten fruit and wood

  • They are incredible fliers, meaning they can easily evade predators and as the name suggests, sun beetles are more active in the day

  • Sun beetle larvae can grow to be twice the size of their adult forms

Sun beetles eating a banana 

IMAGE: Laura Moore 2024

How we're helping

Like all the animals in our care, our sun beetles are amazing ambassadors for their relatives in the wild and help hundreds of thousands of people connect with nature every year. They encourage visitors to learn about the threats facing wildlife and the action they can take to help create a world where nature is protected, valued, and loved.

As a wildlife conservation charity, we care for the animals here at the zoo and work to protect species at risk around the world. From providing expertise in genetics and veterinary health to protecting wild places with local conservation partners, and even restoring threatened species to the wild, we are active where we are needed most.

Find out more about RZSS conservation