Should this even be in New Hampshire?!
Location: New hampshire
June 30, 2011 6:29 pm
This little creature made his way onto my deck last night, as to where he came from or his name that unforuntaly wasnt attached to him.. Im questioning if this should even be in new hampshire, i have never see anything like it!
Signature: Kerri

Head of a Prionid Beetle

Dear Kerri,
We feel like we have been involved in a Sherlock Holmes novel or a CSI episode.  This is the head of a Prionid Beetle, and there are numerous species that might be encountered in New Hampshire.  Our most likely subject is a male Broad Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis, which is pictured in our archives and on BugGuide where it is indicated that:  “Antennae have 12-13 segments.”  The head you found appears to have 12 segments on the antennae.  The big question is how did that head get on your desk.  We don’t know where your desk is, and that might help.  Birds will sometimes eat fatty insects, and the body of a Prionid Borer is full of fat, and the head hasn’t much nutritional value, not to mention it is harder and less palatable.  We doubt that your desk was outdoors under a tree where a bird might drop the head of a Prionid it was eating, so we will eliminate a bird.  BugGuide also indicates:  “Males are attracted to lights.”  This is a male as females have much less developed antennae.  If this Prionid was attracted to a light and your house cat encountered it, perhaps the cat ate the body of the insect and left you the head as a trophy.  The predator will have to remain a mystery.

1   I like This

Related posts:

Brown Prionid Brown Prionid Prionid Beetle, probably Palo Verde Root Borer Brown Prionid