Devil Ant Head?
Location: Northport, Long Island, New York
August 6, 2011 1:04 pm
Dear Bugman,
We found this insect on my stoop, looks like the head of an ant? Not sure, very curious! Thanks for taking the time to check it out, we look forward to hearing back.
Signature: Best, Mark & Sophie
Dear Mark and Sophie,
This is the head of a Root Borer in the genus Prionus, and judging by the antennae, it is a male. Since we believe we can rule out the possibility that Lewis Carroll’s Red Queen is lurking in your bushes, the most likely culprit that performed the decapitation is a bird. Prionus Root Borers are large bodied insects, often reaching more than 2 inches in length. The soft abdomen is much more palatable than the hard head, and we occasionally receive images like this from curious readers.