Bug FAQSouthwestern Masked Chafer
Cyclocephala pasadenae · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Scarabaeidae
Also called: Pasadena Masked Chafer
The Southwestern Masked Chafer is a tan to auburn beetle about 13 mm long with patterned wing covers. It is native to the southwestern part of North America and is commonly found in the Los Angeles basin.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Its wing covers show some distinct patterning.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure roughly 13 mm in length and are tan or auburn in color.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The beetle lives in southwestern North America and is locally abundant around Los Angeles.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to the southwestern region of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 12 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where can I expect to see a Southwestern Masked Chafer?
You’ll most likely find it in southwestern North America, especially around the Los Angeles basin.
Source: Wikipedia
What other beetles look like this species?
Cyclocephala hirta is a close look-alike that is also common in the Los Angeles area.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Scarabaeidae)
Japanese BeetlePopillia japonicaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common Green June BeetleCotinis nitidaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Phyllophaga crinitaPhyllophaga crinitaDamages trees, gardens or crops
European Rose ChaferCetonia aurata
Mediterranean Spotted ChaferOxythyrea funestaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Oriental BeetleExomala orientalisDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclocephala_pasadenae
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.