Unkown Beetle! Please Help!!!!!

mantidsaresweet · Jul 5, 2009

I need help in IDing this beetle that my sister found outside tonight. I've never seen an insect like this around where I live in Southern Ohio. If anyone has any info on this insect it would be greatly appreciated. He/She is around 2 inches long including the very long antennae. I'm very excited because I've seen this before and can't wait to find out more about it!!!!!!

Here are some pics I took of this guy or gal.

Katnapper · Jul 5, 2009

I think what you have is a Broad Necked Root Borer.

See this page, about 3/4 of the way down: What's That Bug

Edit: You can look up more info about it here: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=B...us%20laticollis

PhilinYuma · Jul 5, 2009

My guess is that it's a common black ground beetle, Pterostichus spp. I don't remember seeing any of these beetles with quite such thick antennae, though. I just chescked Google and couldn't find anything exactly like it there, either. Do the wing cases have striations, parallel grooves, running from head to tail?

Well, you don't want to tell your sister that she caught a "common black ground beetle," do you? The genus name, I think, refers to the ridges down the wing cases or elytra, but the literal meaning of "pteron" is wing, and "stichos" refers to a column of soldiers, so you can tell her that she caught a Winged Warrior Beetle.

If she doesn't believe that there is such a thing as a "winged warrior," show her this pic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hussar_b...er_Orlowski.jpg

Edit: I checked out your reference, Katt, and I think that you are right. My name is waaaay better, though!

mantidsaresweet · Jul 5, 2009

Thanks both of you!! I think that Katt is right as well but your name is cool Phil :lol:

Looks like they eat roots and fruits so I probably won't try and raise it but it is a cool looking beetle. If I could I would breed them

Anyways thanks!!!!!!