Huge Moth is northern California
July 23, 2009
I live in Northern California, and i found this insect at the place i work today, it’s huge and can fit in my palm and it the size of a small mouse. It somewhat looks like a giant moth – hornet hybrid.
random
Northern California – Tahoe

Female California Root Borer

Dear random,
Your female California Root Borer, Prionus californicus, is actually a beetle, and more about the genus can be read on BugGuide.

Brown beetle, four white spots
July 20, 2009
I found this little fella flying clumsily around my room tonight and caught him in my handy dandy bug catcher (after he made a mad dash for my hair! yikes!) and I was wondering what he is. He’s 3/4″ in length, caramel brown, with four white spots on his back (technically 8, i think, but they’re in groups of 2).
Kina A.
Memphis, TN

Ivory Marked Beetle

Dear Kina,
Your beetle is an Ivory Marked Beetle, Eburia quadrigeminata, one of the Long Horned Borer Beetles in the family Cerambycidae.  According to BugGuide:  “Larvae bore into heartwood of deciduous trees, esp. ash, hickory. May emerge from finished lumber years after milling.”

Large yellow and black beetle
July 20, 2009
I found this beetle inside our screened porch today, July 20, 2009. After photographing it inside, I took it outside to release and take a few more photos. It is about 3/4″ to 1″ long and fairly docile. I looked in the Audubon insect field guide but didn’t find it. Can you help?
Lynne in Vermont
Ludlow, Vermont

Sugar Maple Borer

Hi Lynne,
This is the second Sugar Maple Borer image, Glycobius speciosus, that we have received in a few weeks.  The striking markings of this beetle are thought to mimic the coloration of a Yellow Jacket.  You can see matching images on BugGuide.

Sugar Maple Borer

Thanks for the prompt reply.  My first thought when I saw it on the porch was that it was a yellow jacket but when I looked closer, it was a beetle.  Does it harm the sugar maples?  We have a sugar bush and I’m wondering if he will do damage.  In any event, it was fun to see him.
Your site is excellent and I’ll be back another time.
Thanks again.
Lynne Croswell

Hi Lynne,
According to BugGuide:  “Larvae mine under bark of Sugar Maple, Acer saccharum.“

Brown Beetle, 2″ in length, long antennae
July 18, 2009
Found two of them in the wood pile as we where splitting wood. they seem to have wings but did not fly. brown to light brown in color both top and bottom
Mike
Turner, Oregon

Ponderous Borer

Hi Mike,
Of the Ponderous Borer, Ergates spiculatus, BugGuide notes:  “In a quick review of Google mentions this beetle has also been called a Pine Sawyer, Western Pine Sawyer, Spined Woodborer, and Ponderosa Pine Borer. The last name may be a conflation of Ponderous Borer and Pine Sawyer although it should be noted that ponderosa is Spanish for ponderous and would be a logical name for Spaniards in early California to give to both the huge pine trees of the high Sierras and the huge beetles that bored in them.“

Some kind of longhorn beetle?
July 18, 2009
This insect had apparently been attracted to the yard light at the corner of our house. It’s July, in a woodsy area of the Sierra Foothills near Placerville, California. (Lots of ponderosa pine and black oaks, as well as manzanita shrubs.) In my I.D. search I keep coming across the Banded Alder Borer but this is something else. Can you help?
Karen Rathbun
Placerville, California

Acanthocinus principes

Hi Karen,
You are correct that this is not a Banded Alder Borer, but we have had no luck in securing an identification for you.  We are nearly certain your beetle is in the subfamily Lamiinae which includes the genus Monochamus.  We would seriously consider the White Spotted Sawyer, but the male of the subspecies found in California and Oregon has solid black antenna.  We are going to contact Eric Eaton in the hopes that he can assist in an identification.

Acanthocinus principes

Comment from Eric Eaton
Daniel:
I recognize it, but never committed the name to memory because it is not seen that often.  I’ll get more of my colleagues to take a look. Nice images that I hope will also get posted to Bugguide:-)
Eric

Okay, I’ve submitted it to BugGuide, and also added one more photo. I’m excited that this one is not common, and now I wish I had not been rushed when taking the photos and had done a proper job of it — including a size reference and finding better lighting and that sort of thing. Or that I had saved the beetle for a proper photo session later. Thanks for your help!
Karen

Update:
July 19,2009
Daniel, thanks for your help! I thought you would like to know that Eric has identified this beetle as Acanthocinus principes  –  http://bugguide.net/node/view/306477/tree
What fun to be able to provide photos that seem somewhat hard to come by!  I just got lucky, as I know next to nothing about insects, though I do own a couple of field guides and like to learn the names of things that I find.  I sure appreciate your service, and also Eric’s.
Karen

Large beetle in E. Washington state
July 18, 2009
We found this large black/brown/red beetle with reddish legs and a red underside on our driveway on July 18 in Spokane Valley, WA. It was discovered just after dusk. It is 3-4 inches in length. When touched on the back, it would raise it’s back legs to make a scraping/hissing sound. What is it? What does it eat? Are they common in this area (we’ve never seen one before)
Lobdells
Spokane Valley, WA

California Root Borer

Dear Lobdells,
This is a California Root Borer, Prionus californicus.  It ranges from Canada to Mexico on the West Coast, as far inland as Nevada and Montana.  According to Charles Hogue in Insect of the Los Angeles Basin, the larvae bore into roots of oaks, madrone, cottonwood, fruit trees and eucalyptus.  Adults emerge and fly in early summer and are attracted to lights.  The beetle is not considered rare, but populations may be very localized. Your specimen looks like a female as males are smaller and have more exaggerated antennae.