Beautiful very large bug
Location: Central Nebraska – plains
July 30, 2011 3:33 pm
Here’s a photo of this giant bug that landed on my window screen here in central Nebraska yesterday morning. Though I’ve scoured the site trying to find one similar the only pic that came close was the Longicorn from Thailand and we’re a little far from there. lol
This guy is about 2” long, as big around as a woman’s pinky finger and has these amazing long antenna and legs! He has wings obviously since he flew onto the window screen but can climb and stick to anything he chooses.
Thanks for your help identifying him AND if you could please answer one question – what does he eat? I’d greatly appreciate knowing that answer.
thanks so much for you excellent information.
Signature: Marguerite
Hi Marguerite,
This is a Cottonwood Borer, Plectrodera scalator, one of the Longhorned Borer Beetles in the family Cerambycidae. Longhorned Borers are also called Longicorns, generally in French speaking countries, and Thailand was occupied by the French. It was astute of you to recognize the family resemblance. According to BugGuide: “Adults are reported to browse on shoots of host trees, especially leaf-stems (petioles), and bark.” Try feeding this Cottonwood Borer young leaves from a cottonwood tree. Most of our reports come from Texas and Oklahoma, and you may be our first report from neighboring Nebraska.