Subject: Cerambycidae – ? Longhorn, but what kind of?
Location: Sri Lanka
May 16, 2014 9:10 am
Hi!
We are trying to identify this longhorn-like bug. We spotted it today and Yesterday in Belihuloya, Sri Lanka. Thanks for the help!
Signature: Jeroen & Petra

Longicorn

Dear Jeroen & Petra,
You are correct that this impressive beetle is a Longicorn in the family Cerambycidae.  We cannot provide anything more specific at this time, but perhaps one of our readers will write in with additional information.

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Subject: Wasp/grasshopper?
Location: Mid-Michigan
May 20, 2014 6:17 pm
My brother recently spotted this and no one can identify it, are the grasshoppers trying to scare us now?
Signature: Derek

Hickory Borer

Dear Derek,
This is neither a wasp nor a grasshopper, but it is a beetle known as a Hickory Borer, Megacyllene caryae, that mimics wasps like the Yellowjacket for protection as the beetle is harmless and the Yellowjacket can sting.  The Hickory Borer, which emerges in the spring, looks very similar to its relative the Locust Borer, Megacyllene robiniae, which emerges in the fall. 

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Subject: What is this?
Location: Houston, Texas
May 26, 2014 5:02 am
This was quite a surprise as I was getting ready for work at 3AM.
I found it in my toilet. It must’ve crawled out from the vent above it or something. It’s about 2″ long and has some large mandibles/jaws.
Signature: Ben

Hardwood Stump Borer

Hi Ben,
This is a Root Borer in the subfamily Prioninae, and we believe it is a Hardwood Stump Borer, Mallodon dasystomus, based on images posted to BugGuide where it states:  “Adults attracted to UV lights.”  We suspect this individual was attracted to lights near your door and then got trapped inside where it succumbed to its premature drowning.  According to BugGuide:  “Larvae bore in live heartwood of trees, incl. oak, elm, willow, pecan, maple, sycamore, etc.”  The presence of any of those trees nearby would explain its appearance.  Generally, we get reports of Prionids later in the summer, but according to BugGuide’s data page, sightings of Hardwood Stump Borers in Texas have been reported from April through October.  We are happy you noticed this Hardwood Stump Borer prior to using the toilet, otherwise, you might have received quite a shock.

Hardwood Stump Borer

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Subject: orange and black bug
Location: Sierra foothills at 2000′ in Weimar, CA.
May 25, 2014 1:34 pm
I found this on a faded arilbred iris. Sorry the picture is blurry. I am in the Sierra foothills at 2000′ in Weimar, CA. I’d guess it’s about 2/3 inch long.
Signature: Carolyn

Dimorphic Flower Longhorn

Dear Carolyn,
Your image is indeed quite blurry, which makes us sad because we believe we have correctly identified your female Dimorphic Flower Longhorn, Anastrangalia laetifica, on BugGuide, and it represents a new species on our site.  Even though your image is blurry, the distinctive markings leave little doubt as to its identity.  The term Dimorphic in the name refers to the obvious visual differences between the sexes, which makes them appear to be different species.  Females are colored similarly to your individual, while males are black or brown.

Thank you very much! I tried finding it myself using the BugGuide, but could not even get there from Insecta.  Is there a way to browse the categories that would more easily lead me to the right page.  I completely agree that this BugGuide pictures of this species clearly identify my bug.  I could not find information anywhere on what they eat – apparently plants, but nectar?  Petals, leaves?  Do you know?  (My search, however, led me to much fascinating information, for example, about butterfly color production by forming gyroids.)
Thank you again, and thanks in advance if you find any info about their feeding.
Carolyn Spier

Hi Carolyn,
We have no advice on how to best browse BugGuide as one needs a basic understanding of insect orders before being able to search successfully.  The same is true of our site, however, our search engine works quite well if you type in descriptive words, however, as we stated earlier, since this is a new species for our site, you would never have found your species identification on our site.  We think of Flower Longhorns as being nectar feeders, however, BugGuide has this to say on the family Cerambycidae information page:  “Many adults (esp. the brightly colored ones) feed on flowers.  Adult feeding requirements are variable, with some species taking nourishment from sap, leaves, blossoms, fruit, bark, and fungi, often not associated with larval hosts; others take little or no nourishment beyond water.”

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer me, twice!  I prefer to believe that this brightly colored female is the nectar sucking type – until proven otherwise.  I wonder what the larvae eat, though.
Carolyn

Hi again Carolyn,
The original BugGuide link we provided for you was to a photo and it does include food information.  According to BugGuide Larvae are borers in “Pinaceae” which is the family that includes pine as well as cedar, fir, hemlock, larch and spruce, though the Dimorphic Flower Longhorn might only use one genus as the host.  This information is provided under life cycle:  “According to Dennis Haines (pers. communication, HW) floral hosts of adults include Calochortus (Liliaceae); Ceanothus (Rhamnaceae); Achillea, Heracleum (Apiadaceae); Eriodictyon (Hydrophyllaceae).” 

Hi Daniel,
I went again to that original link you sent.  Now I see the tabs for the other info.  Thanks!  It fits that I live on serpentine in pine/oak woodland.
Carolyn

The post Dimorphic Flower Longhorn: appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: what is this?
Location: assonet, ma
May 27, 2014 8:13 am
Found this bug on my deck and I was hoping to get info on it. Is it harmful is the main ?
Signature: idk

Whitespotted Sawyer

Dear idk,
This is a Whitespotted Sawyer, Monochamus scutellatus, one of the Longhorned Borer Beetles in the family Cerambycidae.  The white spot refers to the scuttelum, the triangular shaped area where the wings attach to the body.  According to BugGuide:  “Larvae excavates galleries in coniferous trees, often after they are damaged by a fire, storm, etc.”  That indicates they are not a threat to healthy trees nor to milled lumber.  We don’t understand what you mean by:  “Is it harmful is the main ?”

Im sorry it was a typo. What I was trying to ask, is it harmful to humans?

The mandibles are quite strong, and they might provide a painful nip and possibly even draw blood if the Whitespotted Sawyer is carelessly handled, but they do not provide a threat to humans.

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Subject: Beetle in Pecan Tree
Location: Orlando, Florida
May 27, 2014 6:53 pm
I found this beetle in our old Pecan tree that has been on it’s down side for a few years now. There are at least 4 dozen holes around the bottom of the tree extending upwards 6-7 feet. The beetle does not like sunlight and does not like light from a bulb flashlight but is ok with an LED flashlight.
The antennas are long, 2″ or so and the pincers are black and hard. When I tapped the antenna of one with a piece of paper it went back into the hole and folded back it’s antenna then came forward with it’s pincers. When I touched the pincers with the paper it grabbed it and gave it a tug as if to take it into the hole.
Signature: Don_S

Longicorn emerges from hole in pecan tree

Dear Don,
We probably cannot determine an exact species based on your image, however, your detailed description indicates that this is a Longhorned Borer Beetle or Longicorn in the family Cerambycidae.  Larvae are wood borers, and often spend several years feeding on wood prior to emerging as adult, winged beetles.  Longicorns are not general feeders, and each species has a single or several preferred host plants, and most do not infest healthy trees.  Your letter indicates this tree has been in decline, and that is likely the reason that wood boring insects have begun to feed on it.  Your description and image indicates that this is an adult beetle and it should soon be exiting through the hole it bored to the surface.  Once they leave the larval burrow, they will not return, though we would not discount the possibility that a female might enter a hole to lay her eggs.  Based on knowing the host plant is a pecan tree, we will attempt an identification, but if you really want a species identification, we would suggest that you capture a beetle and provide us with a dorsal view. The Texas A&M University Entomology site’s Insect Pests Attacking Pecan in the US page lists 15 Longicorns that feed on the wood of pecan trees.

Hello Daniel,
Thank you for your reply. It was difficult to get a good picture so I’m happy the description helped.
Is there any action that we should take to eliminate the beetle before we have the tree remove?
Thank you in advance,
Don Schenck

You can leave the cut wood on site and allow the beetles to develop.

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Subject: Unidentified Bug
Location: Equatorial Guinea
June 2, 2014 7:20 am
I found this beautiful creatures last week near the rainforest in Equatorial Guinea West Africa and would love to know what they are.  can you help identify this beautiful colored bug about 3cm in length found in may in the rainforest.
The Bug was about 2cm in length.
There were several spiders the largest ones body was about 8cm
The other which im thinking is a moth was about 5cm
thanks for any help
Signature: susan caddur

Longicorn is Sternotomis pulchra

Dear Susan,
This Longicorn Beetle in the family Cerambycidae is just about the most garishly gorgeous beetle image we have ever received.  Longicorns are also called Capricorn Beetles or Longhorned Borer Beetles and they have larvae that bore in the wood of trees and shrubs and most species are very host specific, feeding on only one or two species of trees.  We quickly located a matching image on SuperStock for your Longicorn, though the image is not nearly as beautiful as the image you have provided, and sadly, it is not identified to the species level.  Many years ago, our dear Swiss friend Monika gifted us with a beautiful coffee table book on beetles called Living Jewels by Poul Beckmann and we found what appears to be your beetle on Plate 24 where it is identified as Sternotomis pulchra picta from Cameroon.  There is now an online gallery from Living Jewels where you can view that image.  Sternotomis pulchra is also pictured on the Worldwide Cerambycidae Photo Gallery, where its range is listed as:  “Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central Africa, Zaire, Sudan, Congo, Gabon, Uganda, Angola” but not Guinea, though interestingly, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Ivory Coast all border Guinea, so we believe that range is probably incomplete.  NYPL Digital Collections has a reproduction of a vintage Seguy print with what also appears to be your beetle identified as Sternotomis imperialis from Guinée.  According to Wikipedia which we rarely cite, the two species are synonyms and the host is Liberian Coffee.  We will attempt to provide you with information on your other images when time permits.

Thank you so much for the information and yes it is a little ” bold” in its colouring 

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Subject: Yellow beetle
Location: Taitung, Taiwan
June 4, 2014 8:40 pm
My dad found an interesting beetle and I was wondering what type it is exactly. So far I’ve figured out it’s a longhorn beetle, but not much else. I’ve found many similar looking beetles, but not with the exact coloring. Most I’ve found are black with yellow markings, but this one is reversed. Do these types of beetles damage trees? We like beneficial insects, but our trees and plants are struggling and we don’t want to keep harmful insects around.
Signature: Rebecca

Longicorn

Dear Rebecca,
You are correct that this is a Longhorned Borer Beetle in the family Cerambycidae.  We will attempt to identify the species for you.  Though the larvae of Longicorns bore into wood, very few are actually problematic.  Most Longicorns are very host specific.

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Subject: Some kind of longhorn beetle?
Location: Stafford Virginia
June 7, 2014 6:38 am
I found this in our backyard in Stafford Va. What type of longhorn beetle is this?
Signature: Seth

Borer: Goes species

Hi Seth,
This is a Borer Beetle in the genus Goes, and we have narrowed it to two possibilities:  a Hickory Borer, Goes pulcher, or the White Oak Borer, Goes tigrinus.  See BugGuide for more information.  According to BugGuide, the Living-Hickory Borer is:  ” Uncommon” and “Larvae feed in living Carya (including C. illinoinensis). Ulmus and Quercus are potential hosts.”  Of the White Oak Borer, BugGuide states:  “Larvae feed in living hardwoods, especially oak, Quercus” and “Very uncommonly collected although widespead and reportedly an important pest of all oaks in the white oak group.”

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Subject: wood beetle
Location: ocean county, nj
May 24, 2014 10:06 am
Hi!
the attached image came out of my table. we accidentally decapitated it when trying to extract it, so the image has no head, which is really tiny with two antennae. We can’t find what it is. the closest we got was a metallic beetle of some sort. it came out of cedar, if that helps, and we got the wood from a felled Hurricane Sandy tree
Signature: celia

Cedar Tree Borer

Dear Celia,
We are sorry for the long delay in getting back to you, but this identification has been on our back burner for several weeks now.  We made a few attempts to identify the beetle, but we did not have any luck.  We should have paid closer attention to your information about it emerging from cedar, a wood not normally prone to insect infestations.  Today, while researching a different submission, we stumbled upon a posting in our archives of a Cedar Tree Borer, Semanotus ligneus, and it matches your image, and it has the head which distinguishes it as a Longhorn Borer in the family Cerambycidae.  You can see additional images on BugGuide.  When lumber containing wood boring insects is milled, the emergence time may be delayed for years. 

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Subject: beetle
Location: New Mexico
June 10, 2014 11:03 pm
This beetle attacked my wife. Lol. Not really but she jumped like crazy. What kind of beetle is this?
Signature: josh

Root Borer

Hi Josh,
This is a Root Borer in the genus Prionus, and based on the shape of the abdomen, we believe she is a female.  Though you joked about your wife being attacked, we should probably warn you that though they do not have venom and are not considered dangerous, the mandibles of Root Borers are very strong and there is a strong possibility that a bite could draw blood, so they should be handled with caution.  This might be Prionus heroicus, which according to BugGuide ranges in Arizona and New Mexico.

The post Root Borer from New Mexico appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: bug identity
Location: Eastern Nebraska
June 10, 2014 1:33 pm
I found these beetles all over my flower garden. In all my years of gardening I have never seen them.
I live in Eastern Nebraska in a suburb next to many farms. Every year I see a new bug I’ve never seen before. He was especially interested in my milkweed which is just beginning to grow.
Signature: Gramma Sally

Milkweed Longhorn

Dear Gramma Sally,
If milkweed is new in your garden, that would explain why this Milkweed Longhorn or Red Milkweed Beetle in the genus Tetraopes is a new bug for you.  According to BugGuide:  “Adults feed on leaves of milkweed (Asclepias); larvae feed externally on roots of host (root feeding is unique among Lamiinae). Each species (or subspecies) is associated with one or a few species of Asclepias (an example of coevolution) (Farrell & Mitter 1998).”

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Subject: Big black beetles on Kythera (Greek Island)
Location: Kythera, Greece
June 16, 2014 2:32 am
Hi,
Saw this pair mating on the coast of the small Greek Island of Kythera. The female was 6-7cm long. Any idea what they are?
Signature: Mitch

Mating Root Borers

Dear Mitch,
These are mating Root Borers in the subfamily Prioninae, and we believe they are most likely Prionus besikanus based on images posted to BioLib and the Worldwide Cerambycidae Photo Gallery.  Another possibility is Prionus coriarius also found on the Worldwide Cerambycidae Photo Gallery.

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Subject: Borer, hickory?
Location: Nashville, Tn
June 29, 2014 9:26 am
These bright yellow bugs are unlike any I have seen. They have a lot more yellow, and the pattern is different than all the other pics on your site. Can you identify this for me? They are all over a Hackberry tree. I did not see any Hackberry borers on your site. Is there such a thing?
Signature: Tanya

Six Banded Longhorn Beetles

Dear Tanya,
Your images are very blurry, and though the details are absent, it is possible to make out the bold markings and bright colors on these Six Banded Longhorn Beetles, Dryobius sexnotatus.  According to BugGuide:  “Primary host: sugar maple (Acer saccharum) (4) (larvae bore in living and dead trees); also basswood, beech, linden and rarely elm (1) Can maintain itself on other hosts for a short period, but survival seems to depend on the availability of large, very old (overmature) sugar maple trees (Perry et al. 1974).”  BugGuide also notes:  “Uncommon/rare (3)(4); widely scattered, populations are sparse (1); listed as rare and threatened on several state websites.  Dury (1902) noted that D. sexnotatus was once abundant but was even then becoming rare.  Perry et al. (1974) noted a sharp decline in the collection since 1942.”

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Subject: Please Identify (Hawaii)
Location: Waialua, Hawaii
June 23, 2014 1:26 pm
Aloha BugMan,
Recently while we were helping clear a trail in Hawaii on the North Shore on the island of Oahu we came across this bug – as none of us have seen it before we were wondering if you could help identify it? It appears to us as if it were a hybrid of a cockroach + ant + caterpillar visually.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Signature: Tiffany K.

Kiawa Roundheaded Borers

Dear Tiffany,
Several years ago we did all the research on this Longicorn which we identified as an invasive Kiawe Roundheaded Borer, Placosternus crinicornis.  More information is available on the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health website.

Kiawe Round Headed Borers Mating

Kiawe Roundheaded Borers Mating close-up

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Subject: spotted longhorned beetle
Location: Raleigh, NC
July 3, 2014 12:36 pm
Dear Bugman,
I found this very small beetle (less than 1/2 inch body length) on May 15th.
I think I had identified it via Google six weeks ago, but I have forgotten what
I’d found and can no longer seem to relocate it on the web.
It seems like it was a “dotted longhorned beetle” or some variation.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Signature: aubrey

Longicorn: Hyperplatys aspersa

Hi Aubrey,
We actually quickly and quite fortuitously identified it in about ten seconds on BugGuide as Hyperplatys aspersa.

Thank you so much, Daniel.
I was trying to describe it in my little blog for our grandchildren.
If interested, it is at www.frombluebirdstoturtles.blogspot.com
Have a great holiday.
aubrey

The post Small Longhorn Borer Beetle appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Can I get an ID bug man!
Sharon Hendricks
AFT 1521 Chapter President – Los Angeles City College
Trustee – CalSTRS

Prionid

Dear Sharon,
Please use our standard form which can be accessed using the Ask What’s That Bug? link on the website.  The standard form requires certain information including the location of the sighting.  Cronyism being what it is, we are happy we are able to assist in your identification, but future submissions to our personal email account should provide any details of the sighting that may help in the identification.  If this sighting had occurred in Eagle Rock, it would have been noteworthy as this is some species of Prionid, a member of the Longicorn Borer Beetle subfamily Prioninae which is well represented on BugGuide.  The poor quality of your image will not allow us to identify this Prionid to the species level, and if you would like that level of identification, we would strongly urge you to acquire a real camera and take a beginning digital photography class.  While cellular telephones are wonderful in that they put image making capabilities in the hands of the masses, they are also contributing to the proliferation of bad imagery on the internet and to the general drop in quality of digital images.  One should handle Prionids with caution, because though they are not poisonous, they do have strong mandibles that enable the adult beetle to chew its way through wood at the end of the pupation period when the adults emerge.  A bite could remove a chunk of skin and could easily result in a bleeding and painful wound.

Ed Note:  We have since learned that this sighting was in Oregon.  

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Subject: Sphinx moth & Creepy Mystery Bug
Location:  Bolivia, South America
July 7, 2014 12:23 pm
Hey Bugman!
I have two bugs for you.
…
Second bug: This thing was seen by my father during the two years he spent in Bolivia. (Sorry for the image size; its the only copy we have.) He said these were fairly common, and that the pole next to it was about an inch wide so that should give you an idea of the size. The frightening thing is that the one pictured is a “small one,” and my dad was attacked by one about seven inches long which scratched up his neck with it’s long creepy claw arms pretty badly. But that’s South America for you. We’ve been wondering for years what it is, and also been grateful that we don’t have them in Orange County, CA.
Thanks for your help!
Signature: Krystal

Harlequin Beetle

Hi Krystal,
Even with the poor image quality, this Harlequin Beetle, Acrocinus longimanus, is unmistakeable. 

The post Harlequin Beetle from Bolivia appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Long-horned Beetle
Location: Central Massachusetts
July 7, 2014 10:41 pm
I saw this enormous thing late at night on my bean plants. It does not appear to have the markings or coloration of the Asian Longhorned beetle or the whitespotted sawyer beetle. It flew away while I was photographing it and landed too high for me to get better photos. It’s at least three inches long, not including it’s extremely long antennae.
Signature: Ellen P.

Brown Prionid

Hi Ellen,
This is one of the Longicorns in the subfamily Prioninae, but we are uncertain of the species because of the camera angle.  Our best guess is that this is a Brown Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum.

The post Brown Prionid appeared first on What's That Bug?.

Subject: Large black bug in Mesa, AZ????
Location: Mesa, AZ
July 9, 2014 8:12 am
What a wonderful website!
I have been finding one of these bugs in my pool or in the grass almost every day. Last night one flew into my pool. I think they are around 3″ long. The underside has horizontal stripes and is brownish colored and fat. Is this a cockroach?
Signature: Jane K.

Probably Palo Verde Borer

Dear Jane,
This is a Longicorn in the subfamily Prioninae, and even though your image lacks the kind of clarity we prefer for a species identification, based on your location and the time of year, we would bet that this is a Palo Verde Borer, Derobrachus hovorei.  More information on the Palo Verde Borer can be found on BugGuide.

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