Subject: Large noisy beetles
Location: Costa Blanca, Spain
March 31, 2015 3:41 am
Hello, we live in Spain, on the East coast, near lots of pines. In the last few days the weather has warmed up and the giant flying beetles have come out. I know they are harmless but they scare me! They bump into things a lot and seem most active during the hot part of the day. Are they a form of wood boring beetle or a jewel beetle? They are huge – abut 1.5-2 inches. The back is irridescent greeny brown, (like camouflage) with white markings.
Thanks!
Signature: LloJo
Dear LloJo,
You are correct that this is a Jewel Beetle or Metallic Borer Beetle in the family Buprestidae. We believe we have identified it as Chalcophora mariana on FlickR. A subsequent search found it listed on the Invasive and Exotic Species of North America site where the common name Flatheaded Pine Borer is used. According to INPN (Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel) the indigenous range is France and Spain. Perhaps the most amusing information we found is that you can order a 60×37 inch Peel and Stick Removable Graphic Wall Decal from Amazon for only $99.99 plus $7.99 shipping.
Ha ha! That would be truly terrifying!
Thanks soooo much for your very quick response! Lots of great info for me to google…
Thanks once again
Jo