Mating Beetles / Northern Michigan
Sat, Nov 1, 2008 at 9:15 AM
These beetles were all over a small meadow next to our cottage in Maple City Michigan during the first week of August, 2008. Caught these two mating. Ooh la la… I have no idea what kind they are and haven’t been able to ID them on my own.
Your site is wonderful! Thanks!
Jeff
Maple City Michigan, USA

Mating Banded Longhorns

Hi Jeff,
Your mating beetles are Banded Longhorns, Typocerus velutinus, in the group known as Flower Longhorns.  According to BugGuide:  “Larvae feed on decaying hardwoods such as oak, hickory. Adults usually found in daytime, but do come to lights, so probably somewhat nocturnal. “

Large unknown beetle
Sun, Oct 19, 2008 at 9:25 AM
Hi Bugman,
About a month ago my girlfriend and I came across this guy hanging out on the side of our apartment building. What may not be readily apparent from the photo is the thing’s size; it was the largest insect I’ve ever met in person, about as long as a credit card.We found it at night, and it seemed to be cold and sluggish. We live in western Montana. After a little research, I suspect this may be a prionid. Any idea what that spike coming out of the abdomen is? Perhaps an ovipositor unsuccessfully trying to bore into a brick?
Matt,
Missoula, MT Western Montana

Ponderous Borer

Hi Matt,
You are correct about this being a Prionid. It looks like Ergates spiculatus, the Ponderous Borer, which has numerous additional common names, including Pine Sawyer, Western Pine Sawyer, Spined Woodborer, and Ponderosa Pine Borer.  Your specimen is a female and her ovipositor that resembles a stinger is visible

Long antennae beetle found in So. California
Seems a lot smarter than cockroaches and a lot slower. Can fly very well and seemed to make a quiet hissing noise when we first moved the grass around him. After the pursuit began, he went silent and we almost lost him as a result. He was found on the grass near some wood from a eucalyptus we had just cut down.
Weerdbugs Findmi
Carlsbad California 3.5 miles East of the Ocean

Eucalyptus Borer

Dear Weerdbugs,
It has been many years since we have received an image of a Eucalyptus Borer, Phoracantha recurva or Phoracantha semipunctata.   According to BugGuide, there are two species, both introduced from Australia.  Our edition of Charles Hogue’s Insects of the Los Angeles Basin was printed in 1993 and only mentions Phoracantha semipunctata, and indicates it was introduced “to Southern California, probably in 1982.”    Hogue also writes:  “Until this borer came on the scene, its host, eucalyptus, had been virtually free of major pests since its own arrival here after the 1860s.  It is uncertain, however, how serious a threat the Eucalyptus Long-horn Borer poses, because the beetles probably only attack trees weakened by lack of moisture, disease, or other stresses.  they also infest freshly cut wood.  Damage by larvae is characteristic and may be extensive because of their large size (length up to 1 1/2 in., or 40 mm).  They form deep broad galleries under the bark and, as they reach maturity, they girdle the tree and may kill it.”   Because it is an introduced species that has spread in California, we are going to include this Eucalyptus Borer in the Invasive Exotics section of our site, but since the beetle feeds on an introduced tree species, it really doesn’t pose as much of a threat to the native California ecosystem.

yellow and turquoise bug
Saw this bug while taking a walk. About an inch long for body.
Never saw such beautiful bright colors.
Looks like it’s been painted with metallic auto paint.
Kennett Square PA
Cathy &Carlos

Elderberry Borer

Hi Cathy and Carlos,
This beauty is an Elderberry Borer, Desmocerus palliatus, also known as a Cloaked Knotty-Horn.   The larvae burrow into the  stems and roots of elderberry shrubs and the adults feed on pollen.

Weird Bug from Thailand
Hi,
I was hoping that you could help me identify this bug please from when I was living in Jomtien, Thailand. It chased me (or so it seemed) whilst I was outside put my washing to dry. After hiding in an out building for 10 minutes I ran back to the main house to tell me husband. When I went back outside it seemed to have been waiting for me and flew at me again. It finaly settled on a tree and my husband took this picture. Thank you for any information you can give. Love the site.
Stephanie (UK)

Cerambycid from Thailand

Hi Stephanie,
This surely is a spectacular looking Long-Horned Borer Beetle in the genus Cerambycidae. We are not certain of the species, and since we have several days of catch-up to do with posting since our new site migration, we haven’t the time to research this further. We feel fully confident that one of our loyal readers will be able to provide a proper identification, and then use the new comment option on our site to post an identification. To further assist in the identification, a larger file can be downloaded by clicking on the image.

Update: 23 September 2008
Daniel:
Finally went to see the new site….
The big, long-legged yellow longhorn with the black stripes from Thailand is Gerania bosci, apparently at least an uncommon species in collections.  Great image, given the fear factor:-)
Eric Eaton

Asian longhorned beetle love
Love you site, check out the attached Anoplophora glabripennis shot.
Best,
Mike

Mating Asian Longhorns

Hi Mike,
We are thrilled to have your wonderful documentation of mating Asian Longhorn Beetles, especially since it will be cross referenced in our Bug Love section and our Invasive Exotic section of our new site, which we are currently about to migrate to, however, your photo lacks a location. Was this taken in native China? or is this an example of the species spread in North America? As this species has become established in the U.S., there is much information about the species online, including this UC Davis posting.

Worcester, Massachusetts.