Subject: Beetle-like Insect on Rotting Mango
Location: St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. GPS: 18.345442,-64.896659
June 27, 2013 4:37 pm
Dear Bugman:
This critter has been bugging me for a number of years. It likes rotting fruit but absolutely loves to go after young corn. It nibbles away at the base of the ear, leaving a blackish goo and killing the ear. It decimated my back yard corn crop a couple of years ago and I have not been able to replant successfully since.
What is it and how do I gently dissuade it from nibbling my corn? I naturally manage other creatures by eco balancing the yard, but I have no idea how to deal with this guy. I much prefer not to kill and knowing what it is may help me route its attention elsewhere.
Thanks for your help.
Signature: KC
Longicorn: Trachyderes succinctus
Hi KC,
This is a Longicorn or Capricorn Beetle in the family Cerambycidae. We just have time to post it and we will research its species later today.
Longicorn
Thanks to a comment by Cesar Crash who runs Insetologia out of Brazil, we agree that this appears to be Trachyderes succinctus.
Update: July 21, 2013
Hi, I wanted to thank you and Cesar Crash for the identification of Trachyderes succinctus. I took a couple snapshots of Trachyderes succinctus appearing to mate on corn leaves.They are yours to use, archive, or whatever, as my thank you gift.
Karl.
Mating Trachyderes succinctus
Hi Karl,
We really appreciate the followup photograph and we have added it to your original submission.
I like ThisRelated posts:
We have similar species in the genus Trachyderes and Andraegoidus, both Cerambycinae: Trachyderini, but I can’t diferentiate them:
http://www.insetologia.com.br/2013/06/serra-pau-no-para.html
http://www.insetologia.com.br/2013/04/serra-pau-no-maranhao.html
http://www.insetologia.com.br/2013/02/serra-pau-em-sao-paulo_12.html
I believe it is most like Trachyderes if it is not a third genus.
Thanks Cesar. We agree the Trachyderes looks correct. Cesar, you should consider never taking anyone out of your site. When you have a link, you need to open in a new window so that your site stays open. That will improve your traffic.
Daniel
Thank you Dan, my mistake.
Hi there, I do think your website might be having internet browser compatibility problems. When I look at your web site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it’s got some overlapping issues. I simply wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Other than that, great site!
Thanks. We have contacted our web master.