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Scarabaeus

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Scarabaeus 

a genus of beetles of the subfamily Scarabaei-nae. The best-known species is the common scarabaeus (Scarabaeus sacer), which has a smooth black body that reaches 4 cm in length. The head and tibiae of the forelegs are sharply serrated. Found throughout southern Europe, North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Middle Asia, scarabaeuses feed on dung, which they have rolled into balls. In ancient Egypt the rolling of dung into balls by the beetles was interpreted as a symbol of the sun’s movement across the sky, and the dens on the beetle’s head were likened to the sun’s rays; hence, the beetle was deified, and offerings were made to it.

REFERENCES

Fabre, J. H. Zhizn’ nasekomykh, 2nd ed. Moscow-Leningrad [1924]. (Translated from French.)
Zhizn’ zhivotnykh, vol 3, Moscow, 1969. Page 324.
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The Scarabaeus was the insignium or the 'arms,' of a very distinguished and very rare patrician family.
Poems by Poe, Edgar Allan View in context
I lost some of the specimens, but those which I preserved belonged to the genera Colymbetes, Hydroporus, Hydrobius (two species), Notaphus, Cynucus, Adimonia, and Scarabaeus.
The Voyage of the Beagle by Darwin, Charles View in context
He had found an unknown bivalve, forming a new genus, and, more than this, he had hunted down and secured, with Jupiter's assistance, a scarabæus which he believed to be totally new, but in respect to which he wished to have my opinion on the morrow.
The Gold Bug by Poe, Edgar Allan View in context
 
 
 
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