Giant beetle thing
Location: Southern California, summer
July 1, 2011 2:18 pm
This bug was flying around at night and you could hear it in the distance and getting closer, it landed and it had a dark, black striated shell and a reddish orange underbelly. It was over an inch long easily and after I threw boiling water on it and a glass of bleach it was still alive. It looks kind of like the broad necked root boarer on here but I would like to know for sure. Because it was the grossest thing I have ever seen and am hoping to not see another one.
Signature: Sara
California Root Borer Carnage
Hi Sara,
Your dead beetle is related to the Broad Necked Root Borer. It is the California Root Borer and your individual is a female. Grossness should not be considered a criterion for killing a creature, so we have to consider this posting as an example of Unnecessary Carnage and today is turning out to be a carnage heavy day.
Ed. Note: We have never made any of the Prionid Beetles a Bug of the Month, and summer is the season for the various species from coast to coast. California has the California Prionus and the Eastern states have the Broad Necked Root Borer. Many Prionids exhibit distinct sexual dimorphism, with the smaller males having more pronounced antennae. Many females are practically or totally flightless, and males are attracted to lights at night. Here is a recent letter.
Large beetle in NY
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
June 28, 2011 5:48 pm
I don’t think I’ve seen a bug this big in New York before. It’s slowly walking around my sidewalk and sticking its butt up in the air like this, with a yellow thing that is protruding and retracting.
Signature: J
- Broad-Necked Root Borer
Hi J,
Your insect is a female Broad-Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis, and the yellow thing is her ovipositor which is used to lay eggs. According to BugGuide: “Eggs are inserted into ground (or under litter) in groups. Larvae tunnel downward to feed on living roots of a variety of trees and shrubs. At first they may feed on bark, but then proceed to hollow out small roots.”
- Broad Necked Root Borer
What is this
Location: Ontario
June 30, 2011 3:26 pm
I found this bug on my garbage can outside. I have never seen it around before! What is it?
Signature: Kelly
Le Longicorne des Champs
Hi Kelly,
In French speaking Canada, this pretty Longhorned Borer Beetle is called Le Longicorne des champs, but alas in the U.S. it has no common name. It is known scientifically as Clytus ruricola, though it might also be a closely related species. You can see BugGuide for additional information like that the “Larvae feed on decaying hardwoods, especially Maple Acer species.”
¶ Posted 30 June 2011 § ‡ ° 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.
¶ Posted 30 June 2011 § ‡ ° Tagged: mysteries wild flowers bring the bugs!
Location: Bright, Indiana
June 28, 2011 8:54 pm
Hi Bugman, wild flowers on a vacant block in Bright, Indiana are giving me heaps of photo ops and questions as to ’What’s that bug?’ The red ’bugs’ were certainly getting busy! Bug #5 was about 1” long and reminded me of a hummingbird the way it hovered. Your site is just the best!
Signature: luv the bugs!
Mating Red Milkweed Beetles
Thanks for your compliment. Milkweed is a very rich insect habitat. There are insects that feed upon parts of the milkweed plant like the Large Milkweed Bug you photographed. Many pollinating insects are attracted to the blossoms which are rich in nectar, like the Hummingbird Moth you submitted. Our favorite of your photos, and the one we are including in this posting, is the image of the mating Red Milkweed Beetles, Tetraopes tetrophthalmus.
Thank you Daniel for helping me out with naming my bugs and posting my picture 
I certainly agree with you about the Milkweed. There were 5 different insects I found that day + several types of bees buzzing around. Thank you for your wonderful site.
Jackie
Large beetle in NY
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
June 28, 2011 5:48 pm
I don’t think I’ve seen a bug this big in New York before. It’s slowly walking around my sidewalk and sticking its butt up in the air like this, with a yellow thing that is protruding and retracting.
Signature: J
Broad-Necked Root Borer
Hi J,
Your insect is a female Broad-Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis, and the yellow thing is her ovipositor which is used to lay eggs. According to BugGuide: “Eggs are inserted into ground (or under litter) in groups. Larvae tunnel downward to feed on living roots of a variety of trees and shrubs. At first they may feed on bark, but then proceed to hollow out small roots.”
Broad Necked Root Borer
¶ Posted 29 June 2011 § ‡ ° big bug
Location: little rock california
June 28, 2011 4:04 am
What is this thing looks like a huge beetle with pincher’s of death and hisses like a roach
Signature: idk
California Root Borer
Dear idk,
This beauty is a male California Root Borer, Prionus californicus, and while we agree that he is a huge beetle, females of the species can be almost twice as large. See this BugGuide image for a size comparison between the sexes. What you are calling “pincher’s of death” are the well developed mandibles that can be used for defense, though the primary function is to enable an adult beetle to chew its way out of the wooden chamber where it pupated. Larvae bore into wood, primarily roots, feeding on the wood for several years before maturing. The mandibles can probably snap a small twig and adult California Root Borers should be handled with caution to avoid being pinched. The hissing is called stridulation and it is a sound produced by many beetles upon rubbing together specific body parts.
¶ Posted 28 June 2011 § ‡ ° Need help with a large bug
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
June 27, 2011 8:45 am
I have two small kids and this bug is a giant. Never seen anything like it in PA before. (Pittsburgh, PA, 6/26/11, Early Summer)
We have some damage to our trees too, wondering if this guy is the culprit. Any help is appreciated
Signature: Jeff Schroeffel
Broad-Necked Root Borer
Hi Jeff,
We have recently received numerous requests to identify the Broad-Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis, the insect in your photograph. We even posted a photo of a female Broad-Necked Root Borer over the weekend. Your individual is also a female also, and we are posting your image because it illustrates the ovipositor, the stingerlike appendage protruding from the rear end of the beetles abdomen. Here is the BugGuide description of the egg laying process: “Eggs are inserted into ground (or under litter) in groups. Larvae tunnel downward to feed on living roots of a variety of trees and shrubs. At first they may feed on bark, but then proceed to hollow out small roots. Pupation occurs in spring, about 10 cm under the ground. Life cycle probably three years.”
¶ Posted 27 June 2011 § ‡ ° 
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