This daunting character is a longhorn beetle, common name Solitary Black Bycid, scientific name Stenaspis solitaria they feed on acacia and mesquite.
A correction to this post - this is in fact a cactus longhorn , Moneleima gigas. Not being a bug person when this character dropped from a mesquite in the middle of the day it seemed to be saying that it was Stenaspis solitaria. My bug guide wasn't detailed enough to illustrate the difference between the two. As Moneleima gigas is usually found on prickly pear or cholla at dusk you can understand my confusion. Luckily my friendly neighbourhood 'bug oracle' - Doug has both specimens in his collection and as soon as I saw them together I realised my mistake. Thanks for your help Doug :)
2 comments:
Hi Celeste. I have not read your blog in ages. The beetle here isn't Stenaspis. It's the cactus longhorn , Moneleima gigas.
Thank you Doug I will correct it. It fooled me by dropping from a mesquite!! (You know how bugs, bug me :) )
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