University of California
The California Backyard Orchard
Spiders Predate on Fuller Rose Beetles
While surveying a site for Fuller rose beetle, we observed a number of dead beetles with their heads broken off. We were wondering what might be predating on them, and I caught this spider in the act. I was disappointed that I did not get a photo of the spider feeding (it dropped the beetle when it saw me), but I did see the spider with its mouth inside the body of the beetle. The mystery is solved! Its good to know that something is working on the beetle population.
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Dead Fuller rose beetle