Insect
Pachnoda cordata
Pachnoda cordataAlso known as Variable Fruit Chafer, Heart-marked Fruit Chafer
Pachnoda cordata flies actively during the warmest hours of the day, buzzing loudly as it moves between blossoming shrubs and fallen, fermenting fruit. Adults can launch directly into flight without lifting their hardened elytra, slipping their flight wings through lateral notches in the shell. The subterranean larvae feed voraciously on decaying leaf litter and rotting wood, recycling essential nutrients into woodland and savanna soils.
DiurnalPollinatorColorful
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyRipe and overripe fruit, Flower nectar, Pollen
Predators
- Insectivorous birds
- Reptiles
- Small carnivorous mammals
ThreatsHabitat destruction, pesticide application, and agricultural intensification
HabitatsSavannas, open woodlands, scrublands, and cultivated gardens
Life span1–2 years (including larval stages; adults live 2–5 months)
Classification
- OrderColeoptera
- FamilyScarabaeidae
- GenusPachnoda
- SpeciesPachnoda cordata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spotting Adults: Look around fermenting fallen fruit or dense flower heads on warm, sunny afternoons.
- Flight Observation: Watch for rapid takeoffs where the hard wing covers remain tucked in against the abdomen.
- Gentle Handling: Allow individuals to crawl freely across your hand; their tiny tarsal claws grip tightly.
Image unavailableClose Relative 
Close Relative (c) Greg5030, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-saSame Family 
Same Subfamily Chrumps / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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