Subject: Caribbean Longhorn Beatle?
Geographic location of the bug: San Juan, Puerto Rico
August 27, 2017 9:33 AM
Hello:
I’m just curious.
I found this bug walking on my porch at night.
At first, I thought someone threw a small rock at my window because of the noise it made when it hit (twice).
When I first saw it walking on the floor, I thought it was a huge roach, so I sadly hit it twice with my shoe but it didn’t die. (Sorry for that).
I just started making a loud noise. Some kind of low pitched ratling sound.
I also have a video with sound, if you are interested in listening.
Thanks in advance for your information.
Best Regards,
How you want your letter signed: Joaquín Nina
Dear Joaquín,
Dorsal views are often the easiest views to use for identification. That white stripe from the abdomen through the eye is quite distinctive, and we believe this is an invasive Mango Stem Borer, Batocera rufomaculata, an Asian species, and you can compare your individual to this image on WaiWiki. According to the Worldwide Cerambycoidea Photo Gallery, the species was first recognized in Thailand and the distribution is: “Pakistan, India, Ceylon, Andaman, China (Tibet, Hainan), Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia. Introduced in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, e Africa, Madagascar, Comores, Mauritius, Virgin Is., Puerto Rico.” According to Farangs Gone Wild, common names include “Mango stem Borer, Fig Borer, Tropical Fig Borer” and “Attack often leads to the death of the host tree.” The species is not listed on Cerambycoidea de Puerto Rico, perhaps because it is an invasive species, and perhaps because it is a recent arrival.
Hello Daniel:
Thanks a lot for your prompt response!
Your explanation is very interesting and seems to be very accurate.
Looking to the pictures in the Waiwiki website, it is very similar (almost the same). The only difference is the color.
Also the stripe isn’t white, is actually light yellow. Maybe a mutation?
Does this species make sounds?
I’ll try to send you the video in the attachment.
Joaquín Nina.
Joaquín,
We should have written light stripe instead of white stripe. Many Longhorn Beetles in the family Cerambycidae make squeaking noises.