Emerald ash borer?
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
December 19, 2011 8:54 am
Hi, I found this insect while chopping wood. At first I was concerned that it was an emerald ash borer as it is the right size (14mm long) and shape. It’s head, especially the eyes and mandibles look quite different though.
It was dead when I found it, seemed to be attached to the wood by its rear end.
Thanks!
Signature: ash borer?
Bark Gnawing Beetle: Temnoscheila species
Dear ash borer?,
You are correct that this is not an Emerald Ash Borer, Agrilus planipennis, which is nicely represented in this excellent online pdf prepared by Gary L. Parsons of the Michigan State University Department of Entomology. On page 55 of that pdf, we located a Bark Gnawing Beetle, Temnoscheila virescens that appears to match your beetle. It is described as: “Length: 8.6-17.8 mm, slightly larger than EAB. Color bright green or blue-green varying to almost dark purplish-blue, often with brassy reflections. Head large, prognathous, and more evident than in Buprestidae, and the connection of the pronotum to mesothorax is narrowed, waist-like. T. virescens occurs in the eastern U.S. with T. chlorodia (Mannerhiem), a very similar species, occurring in the western North America. Both species are predators found under the bark of dead trees where they feed on a variety of woodboring beetles.” That Bark Gnawing Beetle can also be found on BugGuidealong with several other members of the genus.
Bark Gnawing Beetle
On the genus page, BugGuideindicates: “can inflict a painful bite if handled carelessly.” Thanks for providing our archives with this convincing Emerald Ash Borer imposter.
Bark Gnawing Beetle
¶ Posted 19 December 2011 § ‡ ° Argentine Ants were swarming the wisteria.
Ikebana with Black Walnut, Wisteria and Fuschia
What caused this branch to turn yellow? Might this endangered California Black Walnut Tree have 1000 Cankers Disease?
Ikebana with Black Walnut, Wisteria and Fuschia
This Ikebana looks much prettier with natural light. We spent quite some time today indulging ourselves and working in the garden.
1
What’s This Bug?
Location: NE Ohio
November 4, 2010 6:15 pm
My friend found this in his home and I tried to identify it for him, but nothing similar is in my insect guide. Any idea?
Signature: Thanks, Derek
Flat Red Bark Beetle
Hi Derek,
It is a flat, red beetle and it has the common name Flat Red Bark Beetle, Cucujus clavipes, because, according to BugGuide, it is: “Found under the bark of ash and poplar, especially recently felled trees” where it is “presumably predaceous on other arthropods.”
¶ Posted 05 November 2010 § ‡ ° Look at what my cats found
July 13, 2010
They were getting along so I knew something was up. They found this running accross the carpet in my bedroom. First time I’ve seen more than a fly inside the house. The weather outside has been really hot the last couple of days, is that related?
Thanks, Devan
Colorado Foothills (suburbia)
Red Flat Bark Beetle
Hi Devan,
Your photo is blurry which often makes identifications difficult, but we are relatively certain that this is a Pole Borer, Neandra brunnea, one of the Long Horned Borer Beetles in the family Cerambycidae. According to BugGuide: “Larvae bore in trees, as well as structural wood (such as poles, crossties) in contact with moist ground. Adults frequently come to lights, though sometimes adults emerge, mate, and lay eggs in the same cavity they occupied as a larva“.
Correction courtesy of Eric Eaton
Daniel:
It is Cucujus clavipes.
Eric
Thanks Eric,
According to BugGuide, the Red Flat Bark Beetle, Cucujus clavipes, is “Found under the bark of ash and poplar, especially recently felled trees” and is “presumably predaceous on other arthropods.“
Hi Daniel,
Sorry about the camera but I can say that the pictures on that link look exactly like what I have in front of me. You rock!
Thanks,
Devan
¶ Posted 14 July 2010 § ‡ ° What’s this bug?
June 2, 2010
This bug was about an inch long and metallic blue, with purple, depending on how you looked at it. I can’t find what it is. Picture attached. Thanks!
Elizabeth
OK
Bark Gnawing Beetle
Hi Elizabeth,
We believe this is a Bark Gnawing Beetle in the genus Temnoscheila. Surprisingly, we came to that conclusion very quickly while browsing BugGuide. Despite the name, BugGuide also indicates that they are predators and states: “Larger species can inflict a painful bite if handled carelessly.“
¶ Posted 03 June 2010 § ‡ ° 
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