Subject: Giant beetle in our pool
Location: Charlottesville Virginia USA
July 16, 2013 1:40 pm
We just rescued this enormous beetle from our backyard pool. It is mid-summer here and our yard is pretty heavily wooded and in a rural area of western Virginia (shenandoah valley area). We haven’t had any success in finding an identification in any of our bug books or nature guides. Could you help us out?
Thanks, and thank you too for a great website. As a mom of five nature-lovin’ boys, your website is my ”go-to” authority for the kids’ bug hunting discoveries.
Signature: The Hogsed Family
Dear Hogsed Family,
We believe this is a Tooth-Necked Root Borer, Prionus pocularis, based on this description on BugGuide: “Similar to P. laticollis. More brown, base of pronotum narrower, elytra more punctate, eyes more closely spaced.” BugGuide also notes: “Larvae feed in dead pine longs, stumps. Attracted to lights.” If there was a light in the pool, that is probably a contributing factor to the beetle flying into the water.