Longhorned Beetle (Purpuricenus humeralis)

Habitat: Forests in eastern North America.

Food: Larva bore into dead branches of various hardwoods.

Source: BugGuide.

Longhorned Beetle (Purpuricenus humeralis)

Locust Borer Beetle (Megacyllene robiniae)

Identification: Adult beetles are black with yellow stripes across. The third stripe on the elytra is W-shaped.

Habitat: Anywhere Black Locust trees are present - most of the US.

Season: Adults most noticeable in September when Goldenrod comes into bloom.

Food: Larvae feed exclusively on Black Locust tree and its cultivars (Robinia pseudoacacia). Adults feed on pollen, particularly Goldenrod (Solidago).

Life Cycle: Eggs are laid in locust trees in the fall. Newly emerged larvae spend several months in tree trunks, first hibernating through the winter under the bark, then tunneling into trees in spring, eventually making tunnels about 4" long and .25" inch wide. They pupate late July/early August. Adult beetles emerge late August to September.

(From BugGuide)

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Locust Borer Beetle (Megacyllene robiniae)

Banded Hickory Borer (Knulliana cincta cincta)

Banded Hickory Borer (Knulliana cincta cincta)

Longhorned Beetle (Cerambycidae)

Range: Eastern North America to western Texas, south to northern Mexico..

Food: Larvae feed on dead and seasoned branches and limbs of hardwood species, including oak and hickory.

Life Cycle: Eggs are laid in crevices in the bark, or directly into the wood. Larvae feed the first season beneath the bark, then head deeper into the wood.

Identification:   Markings may be absent.  Prominent spines on sides of the pronotum and at the elytra apices. The scutellum is considerably longer than broad.  There are no other NE longhorns of similar size and coloration that have strong spines on the femora, pronotum, and elytral apices.

Last week -- prior to our weather's return to winter-like conditions -- these longhorned beetles were numerous under our porch light.

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Banded Hickory Borer (Knulliana cincta cincta)

Longhorned Beetle (Stenosphenus notatus)

Longhorned Beetle
(Stenosphenus notatus)

Identification: Combination of red pronotum with black spot and shiny black elytra with white hairs is distinctive.

Range: Eastern North America, west to Rocky Mountains.

Habitat and Food: Larvae feed in dead limbs of various hickories. Found in decidious forest with these host species.

Remarks: Most wood boring beetles overwinter as larvae. When warmer spring weather arrives, they develop into adult beetles and emerge in the late spring or early summer. S. notatus is different. Adult beetles develop in the fall, but overwinter inside the wood, finally emerging in the very early spring. (Source:  Ted MacRae @ Beetles in the Bush)  This particular beetle had actually not yet emerged. I found it inside a piece of hickory I split for firewood.

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Longhorned Beetle (Stenosphenus notatus)

Round-headed Apple Tree Borer (Saperda candida)

The round-headed apple tree borer (Saperda candida) takes 2-3 years to complete its life cycle. Adult beetles are 1 inch long and brown, with two white longitudinal stripes on its back. Larvae overwinter in various stages feeding on sapwood and heartwood. Pupation occurs in late spring of the second year, and emergence begins in early summer.  Females lay eggs under bark scales, in crevices, or in tree wounds. After hatching, the larvae feed beneath the bark for a while before entering the wood.  Feed on dead or dying trees and rarely on healthy trees.  Trees become weakened and heavy infestations can kill a tree in one season. Members of the rose family are favorite hosts of the round-headed apple tree borer.  Found mostly in the eastern US and Canada.  (Source:  The Morton Arboretum)

Round-headed Apple Tree Borer Larva

Photo by James Solomon, USDA Forest Service

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Round-headed Apple Tree Borer (Saperda candida)

Sticky Lip and Friends

An oak tree along our road out is oozing a watery sap. From bubbles and smell of the sap, I'd say the oak has a hollow inside where the sap is fermenting. The tree splits into two trucks about three feet off the ground. I'd speculate it was damaged in last winter's ice storm. Regardless, a wide variety of insects from butterflies to beetles are feasting on the sap. Below are a few of the sap-feeders I've been able to at least partially identify.

Four-spotted Sap Beetle (Glischrochilus quadrisignatus): According to BugGuide the scientific name for this genus of beetle is formed from the Greek glischro, meaning sticky, plus chilus, meaning lip. Sticky Lip seems and appropriately descriptive name for a sap-feeding beetle.

Picnic Beetles is the common name for these beetles because they are often attracted to sodas and, especially, beer consumed outdoors.

Longhorned Beetle (Neoclytus sp.) Probably an Ash Bore, but I'm not certain.

Scarab Beetle: Fruit and Flower Chafer (Euphoria sp.) According to BugGuide, "Adults visit flowers for pollen and/or nectar. Also take rotting fruit." Obviously, adults also like fermented sap.

A faded and torn Hackberry Emperor Butterfly (Asterocampa celtis). Often feed on sap as well as fluids from dung and carrion.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

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Sticky Lip and Friends

Banded Hickory Borer

Just Hanging Around With A Friend


Banded Hickory Borer (Knulliana cincta cincta)

Longhorned Beetle (Cerambycidae)

Range: Northeastern US, and southward and westward to Texas and Oklahoma.

Food: Larvae feed on dead and seasoned branches and limbs of hardwood species, including oak and hickory.

Life Cycle: Eggs are laid in crevices in the bark, or directly into the wood. Larvae feed the first season beneath the bark, then head deeper into the wood.

Thanks to Phillip Harpootlian at BugGuide for the ID.

Links and sources:
BugGuide Species Page
Stephen Cresswell Photography
Texas Entomology

Banded Hickory Borer

Longhorned Beetle

Photo from 6/13/05

Longhorned Beetle