Plusiotis (=Chrysina) gloriosa is a member of the scarab subfamily "rutelinae".  Taxonomically, they are considered to be more closely related to the dynastinae than any of the other scarab subfamilies.  P. gloriosa, with its iridescent green body and metallic stripes, is perhaps the most distinctively marked of all native US beetles.  It is widespread in the American southwest, ranging from Texas to Arizona, and into northern Mexico.  It lives in association with high elevation juniper forests.  The adult beetles feed on juniper leaves in the wild, although in captivity they will accept slices of pear.  Other fruits such as apple and banana seem to be largely ignored by them.  The larvae feed on decaying hardwoods.