what is it?
These are swarming a new stack of wood beside our house. I’ve never seen them before. Do you know what it is? I forgot to mention, we live in west Michigan
Thanks,
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
This is a Long Horned Borer Beetle possibly in the genus Clytus. BugGuide lists two species in the genus, and Clytus marginicollis seems to be the closer fit. The larvae are the wood boring stage of the insect, and the food is dead wood from hard pines. The adults fly from March to July. Perhaps the adult insects found a rich food source for the larvae and decended upon your wood pile, or possibly the pile included some wood that was already occupied by the larvae which emerged together as adults.
Hey Guys :
Not being picky here … but the cerambycid beetle on 21 April from West Michigan looks closer to Neoclytus caprea, than anything else. A slightly beter photo would seal it. N. caprea emerges in early Spring and is found most commonly depositing its eggs on logs of ash trees, although they will utilize oak, and elm. The individual in the photograph appears to in fact be a female, and she looks like she might just be trying to lay some eggs on that cut wood. Cool !
Ian Swift
Placerita Canyon Nature Center.
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Posted 21 April 2007
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beetle id
My son found this beautiful specimen in the yard. I can’t seem to find an ID anywhere on the web. I think it is a type of borer but not sure which. Please identify, I’m sure it’s a realitively common species. Thanks,
Chris B.
Hi Chris,
There are two species of Wood Boring Beetles in the genus Megacyllene that look nearly identical. The Locust Borer, Megacyllene robiniae, appears in the fall and is often found feeding on pollen and nectar on goldenrod. The Painted Hickory Borer, Megacyllene caryae, appears in the spring. Based on that information, we are relatively certain that this is a Painted Hickory Borer, but the affects of global warming are affecting the life cycles of many plants and animals. Insect emergence patterns as well as their ranges are changing due to these climactic changes.
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Posted 07 April 2007
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Hi Bugman,
This insect was on my curtain the other day. I’m not sure if you have one of these on your site and I don’t know which catagory it would be under if you did. It sort of looks like a beetle. I put him back outside whatever it was. Do you know?
Jordan Costa Rica
Hi Jordan,
This is a Long Horned Borer Beetle in the family Cerambycidae.
Update: (02/25/2007)
Valentine’s Day Beetle from Costa Rica
Hi Guys:
In examination of the photograph of the cerambycid from Costa Rica, it appears to be Psapharochrus circumflexus (aka Acanthoderes circumflexa). It, like so many insects, does not have a common name. It is very common in Costa Rica, and the larvae bore in many different freshly downed trees such as Cecropia. Hope this helps!
Ian Swift
Placerita Canyon Nature Center
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Posted 14 February 2007
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What’s this bug
Can you tell me what species of Neoclytus this is? I live in Medford, Oregon, and this is the second specimen I’ve found in a week (February) on stacked firewood. We live primarily among Ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir, but there is also a lot of Madrone and White and Black oak here as well. Hopefully it is a native species, and I won’t have to worry about my woods. I’ve kept one alive on a bread and peanut butter diet for two weeks now. Thank you,
Jerry Burke
Hi Jerry,
We need to do additional research, including requesting assistance from Eric Eaton, before we can get you the exact species of Neoclytus you have found. Here is Eric’s opinion: ” The Neoclytus is probably N. conjunctus, but there is a great deal of individual variation in the markings. Eric “
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Posted 14 February 2007
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AFRICAN BUG
WONDERED IF YOU COULD TELL ME ABOUT THIS BUG? FOUND IT IN AFRICA.
Jonathan Milne
Hi Jonathan,
We can assure you that the Longhorned Borer Beetle, or Cerambycid, in your photo is quite aware it is about being devoured by a wild-eyed, sharp toothed predator.
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Posted 13 February 2007
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Unidentified bug
Hi. Attached is a photo of a bug found in Melbourne, Australia. I have looked all over the web but can’t find anything. Have you any idea what it is? Thank you!
Corey Wright
Hi Corey,
Sorry for the delay. We are just returning to old emails that we never had a chance to answer. This is a Eucalyptus Longhorned Borer Beetle, Phoracantha semipunctata. This beetle has been introduced to Southern California where it is a major cause of eucalyptus damage. The larvae are the borers that feed on wood.
Could not identify this bug anywhere on the internet.
Hi, I’m Jason Lai from Malaysia and I need some of your help to identify this bug. I caught it in Fraiser’s Hill, Malaysia for an insect collection project and its due next thurs (25/1/2007). hope you can identify the bug by then. thx!
Jason
Hi Jason,
This is Aristobia approximator, one of the Longhorned Borer Beetles in the family Cerambycidae. We found this identification in a wonderful book we were given entitled Living Jewels by Poul Beckmann printed by Prestel. We then did some web searching with the name and discovered this beetle has appeared on stamps from Laos in 1974, North Vietnam in 1977 and Central Africa in 1962. It can also be found for sale to insect collectors on many sites.
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Posted 20 January 2007
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What’s this bug?
This little guy flies. We live in Chapel Hill, NC. Great site! thanks,
Keith Sanders
Hi Keith,
There are two closely related species of Long Horned Borer Beetles that look nearly identical. The Painted Hickory Borer, Megacyllene caryae, appears in the spring and the Locust Borer, Megacyllene robiniae, appears in the fall. This could be a late Locust Borer, but our money is on an early Painted Hickory Borer.
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Posted 15 January 2007
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Some lovers for your bug love page
These beetles, not too sure what they are, we’re gettin busy on the underside of a leaf, amazing they didn’t fall off. Enjoy!
Becky
Hi Becky,
If photos we have seen are any indication, Red Milkweed Beetles must spend their entire adult life mating.
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Posted 20 July 2006
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Tagged: bug love
Cylindrical hardwood borers mating
Dear Bugman,
Despite the crappy picture quality, my sister the biology teacher was able to identify these bugs for me. I watched them for much longer than I’m willing to admit. The mating ritual was pretty funny. Two or three of these guys were running back and forth, back and forth along an almost vertical segment of a mostly-dead tree. Each time one got to the end of the vertical segment, it would turn around and dart in the other direction. About every twentieth pass, two bugs would run into each other and mate. They’d finish (or he’d get tired of holding her down) and take off in opposite directions. Back and forth, back and forth…Then they’d run into each other again and the fun would resume. This went on long enough for me to go back to the house and fetch the camera. Unfortunately, my camera isn’t good enough to take top-notch close-up pictures.
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
What your photos lack in technical quality, you more than make up for with your colorful account of the mating ritual of the Cylindrical Hardwood Borer, Neoclytus acuminatus.
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Posted 17 April 2006
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Tagged: bug love
Bug
Found this bug on the dock at our family cottage near Bancroft Ontario. Any ideas?
Oh, the carnage. This is a Sugar Maple Borer, Glycobius speciosus. This beautiful beetle lays eggs in the bark crevices of hard maples and the larvae mine between the bark and the wood.
What is this bug???
Someone posted a picture of this bug on an online forum I am part of and I’m so intrigued with it, I have to know what it is. It is on a door and looks to be quite big, possibly 6-8 inches long. I’ve searched on the net for a while, but not knowing anything other than it is an insect, hasn’t helped me find anything on it. Hopefully you can lend some insight as to what it is. I believe it was found in Buffalo, NY. Doing a little more investigation, I guess the bug in the picture is the size of a quarter (just a really big zoom). I’d still like to know what it is if you could. Thanks.
Jordan Pulaski
Hi Jordan,
Your beetle is a Round-Headed Apple Borer, Saperda candida, from the Family Cerambycidae. In the larval stage this species is very destructive to apple trees, quince and a few other species.
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Posted 15 June 2005
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