Subject: Beetle ID
Location: NE Washington State
May 18, 2016 10:02 am
Very pretty. About 1″ long. In a dry pine site that was recently logged.
Signature: Sue
Dear Sue,
This positively gorgeous Metallic Borer Beetle or Jewel Beetle from the family Buprestidae is aptly called a Golden Buprestid, Buprestis aurulenta. Developing larvae have their normal life cycle interrupted when the trees they are boring in are cut and milled. The larvae seem to go into a suspended animation and emerge many years later. We created a posting of a Golden Buprestid that emerged from a pine cutting board after eight years, and the record is allegedly 51 years.
