Do any of you know what kind of insect this is? Which is to say… do I have an infestation of some kind of killer post-Elvis nuclear meltdown outerspace destructronic hybrid Armageddon bug in the woodpile, or is it just some silly harmless thing?
Do any of you know what kind of insect this is? Which is to say… do I have an infestation of some kind of killer post-Elvis nuclear meltdown outerspace destructronic hybrid Armageddon bug in the woodpile, or is it just some silly harmless thing?
12 thoughts on “Insect”
Well, I for one welcome our new alien overlords!
Michael Boyle
I have no idea what it is, but I’m pretty sure it’s common. Back in the day, when I worked on a wood-lot, operating the splitter, I saw them all the time.
Don’t remember if they bite or not. I DO remember that they’re icky and gross and are one of many many MANY reasons I don’t work on a wood-lot anymore.
kowy
It’s a type of beetle, most likely a roundheaded borer aka longhorned beetle – they are quite often found around dead wood.
aj
It might be a termite. (Straight antennae, two pairs of same-length wings, etc.
I could be completely talking out of my asso, however.
Michel
I don’t think it’s a termite. Termites crawl and eat a lot. This guy has long legs for running and a svelte body, which tells me he doesn’t eat so much. But then, I can’t even spell entamology, uh… entermoology, uh… endarmology, uh… bug science.
blork
As I said, I could be talking out of me arse. It’s been years since I worked in entomology, and back then I concentrated on damselfly and dragonfly larvae.
Anyhow, this might help.
Michel
Ed, Chill…
There are several groups of beetles that feed on wood. I’d agree with aj in that yours appears to be a Longhorned beetle.
They’re attracted to dying, freshly cut or recently killed trees. They do lay their eggs on the bark of green wood however. Then the larvae (called roundheaded borers) emerge from the eggs, burrow into the tree and spend one to three years tunneling through the wood. Species tend to have their favorite host trees.
These beetles get their name from their long antennae that are half as long, or longer, than their bodies. Adult longhorned beetles commonly range from 1/2 to 1-1/2 inches in size. Many are attractively colored, often with yellow stripes on their bodies.
If they come into your house on/in your firewood, they won’t hurt the wood in your home.
It’s coloring suggests it’s highly unlikely that it’s the Asian Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle that caused so much concern in Halifax’s Point Pleasant Park of late.
At least they’re prettier to look at at then the run of the mill roaches in the city. Gotta love the ‘burbs!
Harry
Like AJ and Harry said, it appears to be a Longhorned beetle.
The Asian Longhorned Beetle has infested thousands of trees here in the Chicagoland area in the past few years. They have had to cut thousands of them down and burn the wood to prevent further spreading and egg-laying.
I’d get it checked out to be on the safe side. Our University extension service does stuff like that for free. Good luck.
Peggasus
Rats! Michael beat me to it with the welcoming of our new Alien Overlords, but I join him in the hearty welcoming :P
Elizabeth
I thought it was some kind of weird wasp. We have some freaky wasps (the bug, I mean) floating around Florida that look kind of similar…
cessna
Doesn’t look like an Asian.
http://www.uvm.edu/albeetle/identification/index.html
If it were one, the consequences could be significant and very bad. For the trees there, that is.
Bill Tozier
Could be a Box Elder juvinille. Coloring is the same as the much bulkier adult.
Janet
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