Gopher Beetle

Information about the Gopher Beetle:

The Gopher Beetle is found only in California, and within California is only known from a few localities in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Currently, it is the only know species of the genus Ceratophyus in the Western Hemisphere. The body of this beetle is a polished black with an almost square shape. Adults grow to be about .75-1 inch long (15-23 mm). Males have prominent, forward projecting horns on the center of the thorax and head. The legs, especially the front pair, and strongly serrated, and notably adapted for burrowing. The wing covers have faint but visible converging creases. The genus is not found anywhere else in North America, although related species live all across Eurasia. Though originally believed to be introduced, the species is distinct from any known members of Ceratophyus known from the Old World. Adults are active in the winter, tunneling six feel or more into the soil in search of fungi, pushing up sandy mounds 3 to 6 inches high, which give the beetle its common name. The poster is printed on matte, museum-quality paper with Giclée printing quality: • Paper thickness: 10.3 mil • Paper weight: 5.6 oz/y² (192 g/m²) • Opacity: 94% Buy a Digital Download