Figeater Beetle

After mating, eggs are laid in decaying matter or compost piles, which provide sustenance for the emerging larvae. Figeater beetle larvae, commonly called "crawlybacks", grow up to and are thick and white with a dark head. They have six small, ineffectual legs; to move, they roll onto their backs and propel themselves upside down, using the stiff dark hairs on their backs to gain traction. At rest, they curl into a firm C shape. Pupation occurs in the spring; adults emerge from July to September (varies with location). Adult figeater beetles grow to about . They are active during daylight hours, often congregating in the shade of trees near choice breeding grounds to find mates. They make a loud buzzing sound similar to that of carpenter bees, possibly because they do not need to open their elytra in order to fly, an ability shared with many other flower beetles.

C. mutabilis is often confused with the green June beetle (Cotinis nitida). Both are members of the flower beetle subfamily (Cetoniinae), and are similar in appearance, but the green June beetle is smaller, and its range is in the Eastern United States. They are also occasionally mistaken for Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica), which also occur in the Eastern US.

Distribution of C. mutabilis ranges from the US to northern South America, and has been recorded in almost all of Mexico. It inhabits tropical and subtropical forests, oak forests, and cloud forests, as well as many different types of vegetation and land in urban areas up to 2,700 m (10,000 ft) above sea level.