Long Horn Beetle
Photo by Steve Sharp
COMMON NAMES: Ponderous Borer; Bumelia Borer, Long-horn Beetle, Red-headed beauty
FAMILY: Order Coleoptera, Family Cerambycidae
SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Stenaspis verticalis insignis, Plinthocoelium suaveolens
SIZE: Adult 1 ½ inch and larger.
Photo by Steve Sharp
IDENTIFICATION: Long thread-like antennae, red head and thorax, metallic black-green abdomen.
BIOLOGY: Complete metamorphosis.
Photo by Steve Sharp
HABITAT: Larvae feed in fallen trees and cut logs, mostly pine and fir.
FEEDING HABITS: Adults feed on pollen, nectar, leaves, sap and fungi.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: Larvae damage cut lumber and telephone poles. However, they are beneficial in a natural forest to help fallen trees decay.
NATURAL CONTROL: Woodpeckers.
Photo by Kim Blythe
ORGANIC CONTROL: Not considered damaging enough to warrant control.
INSIGHT: Popular with collectors. Normally big, beautiful creatures such as this are here to add beauty and fascination to nature and are of little trouble to man.