Subject: North Idaho Bug
Location: Sadnpoint, ID
May 9, 2013 4:20 pm
Hi –
Found this guy in my garden this morning. Not sure if he is friend or foe. Hoping you can help!
Thank you for any insight.
Signature: Ian

Western Sculptured Pine Borer

Dear Ian,
This appears to be a Western Sculptured Pine Borer, Chalcophora angulicollis, and according to BugGuide:  “Eggs are laid on bark of large branches or trunks of conifers, especially fir (Abies), or western yellow pine (Ponderosa Pine, Pinus ponderosa). Larvae hatch and cut through to inner bark, where they form tunnels.”  We are guessing you might have pine trees near your garden.  BugGuide also notes that adults feed on leaves, and we are guessing that refers to pine needles.

Hi Daniel,
Thank you very much for the information! What a great service you offer. All the best to you and BugGuide!

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Subject: Gold Beetle
Location: St. Mary’s, GA
April 8, 2013 11:45 am
Curious of what kind of beetle this is. We looked online and came up with Gold Pit Oak Beetle but they are not in America. Any thoughts??
Signature: Kelly D.

Possibly Sculptured Pine Borer

Hi Kelly,
This is a Metallic Borer Beetle in the family Buprestidae.  We believe it might be a Sculptured Pine Borer, Chalcophora virginiensis, but we are not certain.  It might be another member of the genus.  It looks very close to this specimen posted to BugGuide.

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Subject: Small Black Beetle with Metallic Yellow Spots
Location: Christmas, FL Orange County
March 13, 2013 10:38 pm
Dear Bugman-
This one has me confused. I thought I’d be easily able to look this beautiful species up on the computer when I got home so I took a photo and went on with my day. Turns out I was wrong. I can’t find anything that looks like this beetle. I’m honestly not even sure what family it would belong to. I found it on a picnic table under some willow trees in Christmas, FL around mid- February. Compared to the grains of sand and the veins in the leaf, you can get an idea of how small it is. What do you think? Any information you might have would be helpful. Thanks!
Signature: Becki

Jewel Beetle is Chrysobothris chrysoela

Dear Becki,
As is often the case when we are posting photos, the morning is passing and we have a train to catch.  The best we can do at the moment is to tell you this is a Metallic Borer Beetle or Jewel Beetle in the family Buprestidae.  You can try searching for the species on BugGuide if you cannot wait for us to do more research.

I saw the response on what’s that bug, but I didn’t know how to write back to thank you. Just by looking at some photos I think its in the genus Acmaeodera. There are so many species in this genus I’m content to call it Acmaeodera sp. I had no idea that a buprestid beetle could look like that. Thank you so much for your help!

Hi again Becki,
While your individual looks similar to the members of the genus Acmaeodera pictured on BugGuide, we are not fully convinced as the spots look different.  We may give this more attention this weekend.

Update:  March 18, 2013
Thanks to Andre who provided an identification, using our comment option, of Chrysobothris chrysoela, and we are able to confirm that thanks to BugGuide.

Wow, you guys are awesome! Thanks again

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Subject: Peruvian beetle 3
Location: Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
March 11, 2013 2:51 pm
I have googled around and the closest to and ID is the Euchroma gigantea. Could this be right or is it an other specie that reminds a lot of the Euchroma gigantea? I haven’t found any that match the colors of this one.
Signature: Kristian

Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer

Hi Kristian,
YOu are absolutely correct.  This is a Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer, Euchroma gigantea, and it is found in Central and South America.

Thanks, Daniel!
Good to hear that it’s a Euchroma gigantea. That means I was right and that all that time I spent searching the internet wasn’t a waste!
Kristian

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Subject: What is this thing?
Location: Northern Illinois
January 21, 2013 4:54 pm
Found this bug coming out of a piece of grapewood that we’ve had for some time, but only recently placed in a very warm reptile enclosure. The origin of the wood is unknown as we purchased it from a retail store. We had to use a drill to remove it from the wood. We’re very curious as to what it is and if it is harmful to reptiles.
Signature: Michelle Larsen

Metallic Borer Beetle

Dear Michelle,
Because of the distortion caused by the plastic bag, we cannot be certain, but this looks to us to be a Metallic Borer Beetle or Jewel Beetle in the family Buprestidae.  Larvae of Metallic Borer Beetles bore in wood, feeding on it as well.  They have been known to emerge from milled wood and furniture many years after the trees have been cut.  Since you don’t know the origin of the wood, we don’t want to try to determine the species as we have no country of origin with which to begin.  We suspect your larger reptiles might have made a tasty morsel from this Metallic Borer Beetle if given the opportunity.

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Subject: The Most Beautiful Bug in the World
Location: Southern Pacific Costa Rica – near Golfito
January 3, 2013 12:16 pm
Hi there!
We found this amazingly beautiful large Bug in our pasture near Golfito, Costa Rica in July. The picture does not do it justice. It measures approx. 2.75” long and about 1.25” wide & had metallic green gold with metallic, iridescent pinkish peach colors on its back. I did an image google and have found nothing like it. Any information you might have would be great. Also, can you advise us on a good insect book for Costa Rica?
Thanks much,
Kate
Signature: -Kate

Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer

Hi Kate,
This is indeed a beautiful beetle.  It is a Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer and it is relatively well represented in our archives.  We have gotten photos from Central America as well as at least one image of a Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer from Brazil.  It is in the family Buprestidae, a group of beetles sometimes called Jewel Beetlesbecause of their beautiful metallic coloration.

Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer

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Subject: Green Beetle
Location: São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brasil
November 3, 2012 8:22 pm
Hi, I’m writing from Brazil, Southeast region, and, in a common crowded downtown, this guy (or girl), landed softly on my arm. I was curious how it was so docile, so I bring it to my garden. I didn’t see any behaviour in the garden, he/she just stared at me, like a docile pet, and let me pick it up at any time. It was huge for a city bug, like about 8 cm length by 4 cm width. Too bad I miss it, maybe he flew away, or my labrador ate it ;/
I found no information, but then I found the only picture, but again with no information. Cute, strong and green. That’s all I have
By time, I call it Manfred.
Signature: Felipe Medeiros

Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer

Hi Felipe,
This impressive insect is a Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer, Euchroma gigantea, one of the Metallic Borer Beetles or Jewel Beetles in the family Buprestidae.  We have at least six previous postings on our site from Central and South America, including this informative posting of a Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer from Panama.

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