skip to main content

please id this insect, some kind of beetle?

10 years ago

This insect has made a home on one of my dwarf orange trees for like half a week now. I dont know if it is laying eggs, transmitting disease, or actually doing something good like eating aphids or something... please let me know if you can ID the type of insect it is, and furthermore what specific breed it is. Guesses help, if not a clear and accurate response. Lastly if you can, suggest to me whether the insect is benign or malevolent.

It looks red at night, and reddish-orange during the day. Its antennae are very long and are striped black/red.

images:
{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years ago
It's one of the many beetles in a group called Longhorns. I would Google 'red and black longhorn beetles ' and see what you come up with.
Willpower_
Original Author
10 years ago
Yeah, I tried googling that already because i figured it was a longhorn due to its long antennae. I tried "red and black" as well as "red and black striped." I didn't find anything congruent with what I've found so that's why I came here to request help :-/. I've found red and black ones. I've found striped ones. But not red-and-black-striped-antennae ones. And ideas anyone?

Also, in general, are longhorns typically good, neutral, or bad in a garden? This one has been in relatively the same spot on my dwarf orange tree for half a week now.

This post was edited by Willpower_ on Thu, Jul 11, 13 at 23:09
Related Discussions
Insect /Bug I.D. Please
Q
Comments (8)
Daggone, 1sst! I'm sorry to be so unsure about that insect, but now I don't think it's either one we've suggested so far. I'm wondering now if it's a blister beetle. The one just pictured is dark and has six yellow spots. Sometimes the spots are orange, and there are lots of different varieties of these critters, around 2,500. Anyway, if THAT's what they are, they have a bite that causes pain and swelling, so they should be handled carefully. I think I've been no help at all! But sometimes it's really difficult to ID insects, even with pictures. Again I'd say to watch them carefully and destroy them if they're damaging your plants. Otherwise, wait and see?
...See More
Is it some kind of a tropical plant? ID please!
Q
Comments (6)
Thank you, Jaynine, but it must be something else. I checked the hibiscus on the web and it doesn't look like my plant at all. The plant I have has one leader stem and no side branches(laterals?). The leaves just come out of the stem and the leaves are big: 8-10". They also are glossy, even when they're young. The stem is sturdy, but not woody. It looked like young papaya tree, but the leaves, I think, are different and papaya usually forms bark-like skin on a stem, I think.
...See More
Beetle Insect ID please!
Q
Comments (8)
Oh, thank you so much York Rose in particular. Yes I researched after your reply and found out more about this June Bug. They are the ugly fat grub buggers that we kept finding in the soil this last Winter/Spring season. I did not know if they were baddens or not. Now we know, and we will rid. But my gosh the June Bug itself is very interesting to look at. I now realize that they were probably the culprits that could divulge just about a whole leaf on my Daturas overnight. Interesting what you learn. Oh and thanks again for your kind comments on my pictures. I adore the macro on my camera, though my husband said, I was practically touching the creature with my lens when I took those shots! Oops! Thanks again. Pauline - Vancouver Island. PS Mexicanhat. Website was when we had our B&B business. It is gone now, though I do miss it. Would love to have another, "personal" one - garden related of course. It is on my wish list along with more roses! :)
...See More
Some kind of insect is affecting all my trees....link to photos
Q
Comments (2)
kimmsr - One needs to click the small pictures (thumbnails) to go to the larger size. - - - rajani, I see mostly minor chewing damage, but not enough to set back the trees' growth. Need to expect some holes. To locate the potential chewers, I'd go out about 10 PM or so, and look closely at the leaves, tops & bottoms. The yellowing leaves on the cherry -- those are the oldest leaves. Not to worry as long as only a few. The pear -- very difficult to see detail because the focus missed the leaves. The citrus -- something is very busy chewing on those leaves! Also suspect environmental problem because of distorted leaves -- that can be "normal" early season -- also apparent yellowing of top leaves. Some basic questions: 1. where do you live? (That info can give us some clues.) 2. Your soil looks like it could benefit from a thick mulch of compost, perhaps 3 inches. That will help maintain moisture and slowly release needed fertilizer elements. 3. Have you ever had a professional lab do a soil test? (The results could give you quite a few answers.) 4. Although I don't fertilize my trees, some of yours may find it useful. (Refer to #3 just above.)
...See More
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years ago
As you've probably already learned, this is a family of wood borers. The adults, however, will feed on nectar, and other external plant parts. Most are somewhat species specific as to what plants they will select as a host for their larvae....the evil borers. There are several that use Rutaceae, but I've not found one that looks like yours.

By the way, striped antennae are common among longhorns.
Willpower_
Original Author
10 years ago
So you are saying that this beetle is MALEVOLENT and that I should remove it? It's not benign or neutral. Correct?
saccharum
10 years ago
It's probably not a pest, Willpower. Most in this family only oviposit on dead or dying trees (or parts of trees), and not many of them are serious pests as adults. I'm not at all certain, but this might be the red form of Stictoleptura canadensis, a.k.a. the red-shouldered pine borer, which is one of the "flower longhorns". I'm not aware of any of those that are considered pests as adults (when they feed on pollen and nectar).
larry_gene
10 years ago
It is neither the Citrus or Asian longhorn, a recent major pest in the U.S.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years ago
I agree that none are considered pests as adults. It's the round headed borers of trees and lumber that us worrisome. I'm sorry not to be able to ID this specimen with certainty.
Willpower_
Original Author
10 years ago
it's a shame it was so beautiful i felt soooo bad as i sprayed it to death...................
paul_
10 years ago
I would have looked for a nice sized spider web. Would have allowed it to serve a useful purpose in death.

Related Stories

Insects for Your Interiors

By Erin Lang Norris

Bring the Outdoors Inside with Surprisingly Beautiful Bug Decor

SUMMER GARDENING Houzz Call: Please Show Us Your Summer Garden!

By Annie Thornton

Share pictures of your home and yard this summer — we’d love to feature them in an upcoming story

PAINTING Bulletproof Decorating: How to Pick the Right Kind of Paint

Choose a paint with some heft and a little sheen for walls and ceilings with long-lasting good looks. Here are some getting-started tips

GARDENING GUIDES What Kind of Roses Should You Grow?

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Want to add the beauty of roses to your garden? Find out which ones, from old-fashioned to modern, are right for you

LIFE The Polite House: How Can I Kindly Get Party Guests to Use Coasters?

Here’s how to handle the age-old entertaining conundrum to protect your furniture — and friendships

GARDENING GUIDES Pathway Plantings That Please the Senses

By LuAnn Brandsen

Add some color, life and intrigue beside your sidewalk with these 7 suggestions

HOUSEPLANTS Play Up Some Fiddleleaf Figs for a Lively Indoor Tune

By creative jewish mom.com

Strike a dramatic chord in a minimalist scene or a country note in a rustic setting — fiddleleaf fig plants harmonize with any style

LIGHTING Cascading Chandeliers: All Kinds of Gorgeous

By Jason Ball Interior Design

Decorate Overhead With Glowing Strands of Glass, Crystals and Shells

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen Recipes: Secret Ingredients of 5 One-of-a-Kind Cooking Spaces

By Sheila Schmitz

Learn what went into these cooks’ kitchens — and what comes out of them

KITCHEN DESIGN Popular Cabinet Door Styles for Kitchens of All Kinds

By The Inman Company

Let our mini guide help you choose the right kitchen door style

Sponsored

More Discussions

Can anyone confirm these are mealybugs?

4

Need help identifying this beetle

2

Need help IDing this moth

3

What mosquitoe is this?

1