Scarab diversity in northeast Iowa

Scarab beetle (Coleoptera:Scarabaeidae) diversity in Northeastern Iowa has never been assessed. Scarab beetles can be major pests in the turf grass and landscaping industries, but also play important roles in ecosystems as pollinators and detritivores. The goal of this survey is to catalog the scarab species of Northeastern Iowa and determine species richness for major habitat types to better understand their ecological roles. Collecting methods included: manure-baited pitfall traps, black-light trapping, banana-beer traps, rodent burrow pitfalls, and plant gleaning. So far, 468 specimens representing 39 species have been identified, the most abundant species is Onthophagus hecate (105). Implications of habitat type on species richness and effectiveness of collecting methods will be discussed.