Hello!
Location: Richland, WA USA
September 10, 2011 9:35 pm
I was at a picnic and I saw this guy on my shoe. Do you know what it is?
Signature: Becki
Locust Borer
Hi Becki,
This strikingly marked beetle is a Locust Borer, Megacyllene robiniae, and it is an excellent mimic of stinging wasps like Yellow Jackets. Now that autumn is approaching and the goldenrod is beginning to bloom, we expect to be receiving numerous identification requests since the adults feed on pollen, especially goldenrod pollen. The larvae bore in the wood of Black Locust trees. According to BugGuide: “Eggs are laid in locust trees in the fall. Newly emerged larvae spend several months in tree trunks, first hibernating through the winter under the bark, then tunneling into trees in spring, eventually making tunnels about 4″ long and .25″ inch wide. They pupate late July/early August. Adult beetles emerge late August to September.” BugGuide also confirms our suspicions that this is not a native insect in the Pacific Northwest with this information: “Considered a serious pest of Black Locust trees; previously weakened or damaged trees are often killed by an infestation of the larvae. Previously confined to the native range of Black Locust in the northeast, it has spread with the trees throughout the US. Unfortunately Black Locust is used for reclamation and similar projects where trees are likely to be stressed out and thus more vulnerable to insect damage.” The Locust Borer was our Bug of the Month in October 2007.
¶ Posted 12 September 2011 § ‡ ° Large Beetle
Location: Ochoco National Forest, Oregon
September 11, 2011 3:51 pm
Found this magnificent (and large) beetle in the lawn in Central Oregon. Found Sep. 2011 at 4400’ during a typical 80o fall day. It was the only one like it that we’ve seen here. My searches on other beetle sites didn’t uncover anything close,
Signature: JDinOR
California Root Borer
Dear JDinOR,
This lovely beetle is a female California Root Borer, Prionus californicus, and you can see a matching photo on BugGuide.
California Root Borer
This beetle’s ovipositor is protruding from the end of the abdomen.
California Root Borer
1
¶ Posted 11 September 2011 § ‡ ° Zebra Bug?
Location: Third Creek, Idaho
September 6, 2011 2:27 pm
We saw two of these flying bugs in SE Idaho over the Labor Day weekend. What are they?
Signature: Cathy Rose
Banded Alder Borer
Hi Cathy,
Because of its striking markings and its elegant shape, the Banded Alder Borer is our favorite North American Beetle.
1
¶ Posted 07 September 2011 § ‡ ° Zebra with antenna!?
Location: Portland, OR.
August 29, 2011 11:30 pm
Hello bugman,
I nearly stepped on this guy as I crossed the street in Portland, OR. At first I thought it was a plastic toy and someone was playing a joke on me. I bent near and saw it twitch a bit and knew it was real and just had to snap a picture or two.
This looks like it fell out of a plane from some tropical exotic rain forest.
Signature: I see stripes
Banded Alder Borer
Dear I see stripes,
In our opinion, the Banded Alder Borer is the most beautiful North American Beetle.
1
¶ Posted 30 August 2011 § ‡ ° Ant…Cricket…Beetle… Ant…Cricket…Beetle..Brickant?
Location: Missouri, St. Louis
August 28, 2011 10:55 am
Saw these guys all over a felled mimosa branch. They moved like fast ants, have legs like crickets and bodies appearing to be something like beetle. I looked and the only things I could find resembling them at all were clown beetles – but none really had the same markings or body. Please help this poor creature out of its identity crises!
PS: sorry the photos are a little blurry. I don’t have the best camera for close ups of a critter this size – approx. 1/2”L.
Signature: Confused Critter
Longhorned Borer Beetle: Neoclytus mucronatus
Dear Confused Critter,
This beetle is one of the Longhorned Borer Beetles in the family Cerambycidae. The larvae are wood borers and most are relatively species specific with regard to the host plant. We believe your beetle is in the somewhat populous genus Neoclytus, and based on photos posted to BugGuide, Neoclytus mucronatus seems like a very good match. BugGuide also notes that it is: “Fairly common and quite variable in size”
¶ Posted 29 August 2011 § ‡ ° Monochrome Beetle
Location: Bremerton, Washington
August 24, 2011 10:47 pm
Dear Bugman,
I walked out my front door one cool September evening, and found this curious bug sitting on the walkway. I thoroughly enjoyed the coloring and and shape of the bug, so I took a picture. Now I find myself very curious as to what kind of beetle this is. Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Signature: Stephen
Banded Alder Borer
Hi Stephen,
We almost didn’t look at your request because we have more mail than we can handle and we choose by title. Monochrome means one color and we had visions of this being an out of focus image of a brown beetle found in the kitchen cupboard, so we were pleasantly surprised when we opened the digital photo file. This beauty is a Banded Alder Borer, however, in California it is known as the California Laurel Borer.
3
¶ Posted 25 August 2011 § ‡ ° Interesting beatle
Location: Sechelt, BC.
August 20, 2011 3:00 pm
I took this photo in Sechelt BC.
It looked about 2-3 inches long and just sat there.
I’m very interested in what it is.
Thank You.
Signature: Nathan
Banded Alder Borer
Hi Nathan,
We never tire of posting nice photos of Banded Alder Borers. In our opinion, they are the most attractive North American beetle.
¶ Posted 22 August 2011 § ‡ ° black and white bug
Location: Parksville, BC.
August 19, 2011 9:13 pm
Parksville, BC.
august 19 2011.
it is about an inch and a half long
thanks very much
Signature: anon125
Banded Alder Borer
Dear anon125
This beautiful creature is known as a Banded Alder Borer or California Laurel Borer, Rosalia funebris, and BugGuide indicates is is found in the: “Western United States plus British Columbia and Alaska.” The larvae are Flatheaded Borers in dead hardwood trees including maple, alder, oak, willow and other hardwoods according to BugGuide, and Charles Hogue in his book Insects of the Los Angeles basin also adds ash and eucalyptus. The Banded Alder Borer is not considered to be a harmful species. The Washington State University Cooperative Extension webpage written by entomologist Arthur L. Antonelli adds: “The adults usually are encountered singly in summer, but occasionally they are attracted in numbers to fresh paint.” Hogue made a similar comment. A European relative known as the Blue Rosalia, Rosalia alpina, is considered an endangered species and it has been featured on the postage stamps of several European countries including this beautiful example of a German stamp from 1993. We don’t believe the Banded Alder Borer has ever appeared on a stamp.
Blue Rosalia on a German Postage Stamp
Thanks very much
it was on fresh paint – elastomeric paint.
¶ Posted 20 August 2011 § ‡ ° 
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