Fig-Eater Beetle
Cotinis mutabilis
Photo from image library at Wikipedia where there are many more photos of scarab beetles. This one was photographed in San Jose, California. License Information: cc-by-sa 2.5 license.
Scarabeidae -- Scarab Beetle Family
These large showy beetles go unnoticed most of the year while
they grow in the form of large, white grubs within composting soil. The adult
beetles emerge around the first day of summer in the Sonoran Desert, mostly in
urban and agricultural areas. As their name implies they are partial to feeding
on fruiting figs. They will also munch on flowers or leaves if they cannot
locate fruit. Night flying Cotinis often show up at city lights. They
are abundant in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona but uncommon in desert regions due
to lack of moist habitat.