Subject: Red beetle
Geographic location of the bug: Foothills of Western Cascades in Washington
Date: 04/26/2018
Time: 09:25 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Saw this on our deck… Can’t recall seeing a red beetle in our area before. What’s that bug?
How you want your letter signed: Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
This is a Red Flat Bark Beetle, Cucujus clavipes, and according to the Pennsylvania State University site: “The flat bark beetle is found in forested habitats of northern North America (Alaska, Canada, and many northern and central U.S. states). … Adults are typically found under the bark in living or freshly cut trees although they might also be present in old logs and even in the leaf litter around fallen or cut trees. Tree species that seem to be preferred by the flat bark beetle include poplars, ashes, and oaks, but they are also found in a wide range of other species of trees. The adult flat bark beetles are active predators within their constricted, sub-bark micro-habitat.”