Orthosoma Brunneum-very cool looking beetle!
Location: Seymour, Tennessee (just south of Knoxville)
June 26, 2011 10:49 pm
Hello Bugman,
I know Brown Prionids like the one in this photo are pretty common, but if I do say so myself, this photo turned out so good and they look so cool, so I thought I’d share it with you. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for all you do. You are awesome and I love coming back to your sight multiple times each day!
Signature: Michael Davis
Brown Prionid
Dear Michael,
Thanks for your compliment. While we are more inclined to post rare and under-represented species on our site, we also love posting beautiful images of more common insects. The season is upon us for Prionid sightings, and the Brown Prionid is one of the most beautiful representatives from the group. We also love your photograph. The colors are stunning, and the cool green of the wall is a perfect background for the rich brown color of the beetle.
¶ Posted 27 June 2011 § ‡ ° Large, Fat Beetle in SE Virginia
Location: SE Virginia
June 26, 2011 8:30 am
Greetings. I found a large beetle in the yard today. It had good sized mandibles, was big and fat. Maybe it’s a female? It had some kind of white froth (bubbles) oozing out its sides and on it’s legs. If I touched it, it would spin around, jump up on its legs and flare it’s mandibles. Most beetles I’ve seen around here are flat, but this one was big and fat. We live near a wooded area. I release it back into the woods. Pictures enclosed. Thanks!
Signature: Ted
Broad Necked Root Borer
Hi Ted,
This is a female Broad Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis. The males are slightly smaller and more active and have spectacular antennae. See BugGuide for additional information.
¶ Posted 26 June 2011 § ‡ ° White-Spotted Pine Sawyer
Location: Hornepayne, Ontario, Canada
June 25, 2011 2:58 pm
Where I live we just call these beetles pine beetles or pine bugs. They are very common because we basically live in the middle of the boreal forest, which is predominantly coniferous. I was trying to find out what they are actually called on your website. I kept coming across the white-spotted pine sawyer, and I thought it looked exactly like the ones here except for the white spot; I thought ours were completely black. I saw one on my house today and I caught it so I could take pictures, and lo and behold, it DOES have a white spot. So I thought that was pretty neat.
Signature: HQ
White Spotted Pine Sawyer
Dear HQ,
The White Spotted Pine Sawyer, Monochamus scutellatus, is so named because of the white scutellum which is the triangle at the junction of the wing covers or elytra. The markings are variable, though the white scutellum is a distinguishing feature. Other members of the genus Monochamus look quite similar and it is possible that you may have other species in your area as well. This magnificent individual is a male. Males have longer antennae.
White Spotted Pine Sawyer
¶ Posted 26 June 2011 § ‡ ° Interesting Bug
Location: 41st & Riverside, Tulsa, OK 74105
June 23, 2011 10:46 pm
I saw this bug at the park today on the playground equipment. It would fly when spooked or provoked. Otherwise it preferred to walk. I just wondered if it was posionous since it was at a park and there were several children around. I’ve never seen anything like it before.
Thank you so much!
Carrie Kreber
Signature: Thanks!
Cottonwood Borer
Hi Carrie,
We saw from your subsequent email that you already self identified your Cottonwood Borer, and we are happy to hear that. We also think this is such a beautiful photograph that we want to post it for the benefit of our readers. Cottonwood Borers do not pose any threat to children, though they do have very powerful mandibles and they might produce a painful bite if carelessly handled. The bite may even draw blood.
Daniel,
Post away-I don’t mind…I thought it was the oddest bug until I saw your site last night and started searching for my bug-then I saw some of the oddest bugs! 
lol
Have a great weekend and feel free to post.
Carrie
¶ Posted 24 June 2011 § ‡ ° longhorn borer?
Location: alamo, tn.
June 22, 2011 11:26 am
If you have the time will you please give me the exact name of this beauty. I was sooo pleased to see him this morning. He was 2 inches in size. Thank you, beth light
Signature: beth light
Brown Prionid
Dear Beth,
We cannot help but to be overjoyed to read of your enthusiasm at this sighting and to read that you consider this magnificent beetle to be a “beauty”, but we couldn’t agree more. It is a Brown Prionid, Orthosoma brunneum, and according to BugGuide it is found in moist forests in Eastern North America (Bugguide does indicate sightings in Texas) and it breeds in rotting wood found in contact with the ground. Prionids are a subfamily of the Longhorned Borers.
¶ Posted 24 June 2011 § ‡ ° Identify Bug
Location: North eastern North Carolina
June 20, 2011 4:42 pm
The kids and I were hoping to find out what this bug is. It was found on the front porch during the day in the summer.
Signature: Cindy
Purplescent Longhorn
Hi Cindy,
This is one of six species in the genus Purpuricenus, according to BugGuide, which are called collectively the Purplescent Longhorn.
¶ Posted 21 June 2011 § ‡ ° So pretty I didn’t think it was real!
Location: Northern Michigan (lower peninsula)
June 20, 2011 11:54 pm
My friend posted this on her Facebook page, and I actually asked if it was real… the coloration made me think it was fake, or painted with glittery nail polish. She assured me that it was indeed real, and was in her friends hair, and ended up on this brush. Could you help with an identification? I would love to let her know!
Signature: Just me.
Elderberry Borer
This beautifully colored beetle is an Elderberry Borer, Desmocerus palliatus, one of the Longhorned Borer Beetles in the family Cerambycidae. According to BugGuide, it is uncommon.
¶ Posted 21 June 2011 § ‡ ° What kind of Beetle?
Location: Albany, NY
June 19, 2011 8:45 pm
Hi Bugman,
My kids and I found this beetle wandering in our lawn near a flower bed at the side of the house. any ideas what it is?
Signature: Bill in Albany, NY
Broad Necked Root Borer
Hi Bill,
This large beetle is a female Broad Necked Root Borer, Prionus laticollis, a species found in the Eastern half of North America. Females are reported to be flightless, and the trimmer males have longer antennae and they are attracted to lights.
¶ Posted 20 June 2011 § ‡ ° 
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