The Golden Buprestid, scientifically known as Buprestis aurulenta, is an intriguing species of beetle belonging to the Buprestidae family. These visually stunning insects exhibit a striking iridescent golden-green or blue-green color, making them an eye-catching sight in their natural habitats. Besides their remarkable appearance, these beetles have become a subject of interest for scientists, nature enthusiasts, and hobbyists alike.
Native to North America, Golden Buprestids are predominantly found in the western regions, including the United States and Canada. These beetles are known to inhabit mainly coniferous forests, where they feed on and breed in various softwood trees such as pine, spruce, and fir. Their life cycle is quite fascinating, with larvae taking several years to fully develop, and adults displaying unique behaviors such as the ability to “play dead” when threatened.
Golden Buprestid Beetle Identification
Physical Characteristics
The Golden Buprestid Beetle (Buprestis aurulenta) is known for its striking appearance. Some key features include:
- Brilliant green and golden-orange structural coloration
- Adults are about 19-mm long
These beetles are wood borers, mainly feeding on various species of conifers1.
Male Vs Female
Distinguishing between male and female Golden Buprestid beetles is not typically easy as they closely resemble each other. However, males may have slightly longer antennae than females2.
Geographical Range
Golden Buprestids can be found in:
- Northwestern United States
- Western Canada3
These beetles lay their eggs in recently dead or dying trees, making their geographical range closely related to the presence of conifer forests4.
Footnotes
20 Comments. Leave new
One of my favorite beetles! That species is just about the most “exotic” beetle in the Pacific Northwest.
Hi Eric,
Thanks so much for signing up so you can comment directly. Though I agree that the Golden Buprestid is a gorgeous beetle, I have to say my own favorite west coast beetle is the California Laurel Borer, though sadly, I have never seen a living specimen.
Daniel
P.S. Seems you duplicated your comment and I sent one to the trash.
I got the pleasure to see this guy for the first time a few weeks ago near Portland. It was like a shiny sports car.
Wow, thanks for the feature! I’m honoured 🙂
And thank you for the interesting tidbits about these gorgeous creatures.
I have a live Golden Buprestid. What would a collector pay for one?
We do not deal in the trade of insects and we do not have any idea of their value to collectors.
Hi. I found a Goldbug on my dads cycling jacket.
Does anyone know where this bug originates or comes from?
According to BugGuide, this is a native species and according to BugGuide date, the range of sightings is much of North America.
Hi. I found a Goldbug on my dads cycling jacket.
Does anyone know where this bug originates or comes from?
Yay, now I know who my crawly friend is! Thanks, guys!
We just found a Golden Buprestid this morning. They sure are neat looking!
Just found a beauty in Corvallis!
We just found a golden colored beetle in Chesterland, Ohio
I doubt you are still wanting to close out this ID after so many years, but based on my own searches I have come across a pic of Aspidomorpha sanctaecrcis that looks very much like your bug. It comes from an book of Hong Kong Insects put out by Friends of the Country Parks and the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Dept.
Thanks for that information
Could it be one of those emerald ash beetles we are hearing about?
To the best of our knowledge, the Emerald Ash Borer has not spread further west than the Mississippi River. Based on BugGuide images, we do not believe this to be an Emerald Ash Borer.
Thanks for your photos and ID! When I turned a dead one onto its back, it was all copper-colored! Does that sound right? This was in rural forested Amity, Oregon!
Based on this BugGuide image, the ventral surface is copper in color.
Here on Vancouver Island, BC, as a kid we called these June bugs.