Cotinis mutabilis, also known as the figeater beetle (also green fruit beetle or fig beetle), is a member of the scarab beetle family. Its habitat is primarily the southwestern United States and Mexico. Figeater beetles are often mistaken for green June beetles (Cotinis nitida) and occasionally Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica), which occur in the eastern US.
The figeater beetle is native to moister areas of the American southwest, where its natural diet includes fruit from cacti and sap from desert trees. Their range has expanded considerably since the 1960s with the increasing availability of home gardens, compost piles, and organic mulch. The adult's primary food has become fruit in gardens and orchards.
