Conifer Bark Beetle larva

Unfair :-(

The only Borid I've ever seen was doing so well, and so close to maturity. And then, an entomophagous fungus decides to eat it...

… Stephen Luk, 28 July, 2008 - 12:05am

My first one croaked also.

Of the next four I found (all one one day) only one matured.

… Jim McClarin, 28 July, 2008 - 4:28am

a pyrochroid, i guess

look here -- i can't vouch, but Tom Murray is very diligent about IDs of his finds, so it's a GOOD place to start

… v belov, 25 July, 2008 - 3:42am

Not pyro

Compare the urogomphal plates. This specimen resembles my borid images. Other differences from Tom's specimen: this one has flatter body, the segments bulge out less on the sides, no evidence of the long setae on this individual, and Shizot*us prefers hardwood but this one was found under pine bark, the favored habitat of Boridae.

One thought: I wonder if this could be the other borid, Lecont*ia discicol*lis. I don't know what its larvae look like. Probably not though as discicol*lis is said to specialize in fire-damaged trees. Any fire damage on those logs, Stephen?

… Jim McClarin, 25 July, 2008 - 5:19am

Not the log this one was in.

I also wondered if this could be Leco*ntia, but am doubtful since it was in an undamaged log. There were a few charred logs in the fire pit, but I didn't go through them extensively.
From examining the specimen, I can say that the setae seem to be short. They are invisible at the 560 resolution in my image, but you can see some if you blow it up.

… Stephen Luk, 25 July, 2008 - 11:25am

Enlarged it and saw them.

Some are at least 1/2 as long as a body segment's width. However, it *is* the lighting. Just click on this thumbnail and see what I mean:

… Jim McClarin, 25 July, 2008 - 8:29pm

I don't disagree :-)

I see what you mean. It's the background, too. I just wanted to avoid handling the larva as much as possible.

… Stephen Luk, 25 July, 2008 - 10:19pm

i admit --

you have a whole bunch of very valid points :-] I've only seen adult Boros, never a larva

… v belov, 25 July, 2008 - 5:36am

I had meant to edit out the part

about "no evidence of long setae" but can't now that you've replied. One of my images does show fairly long feeler setae along the sides of a borid larva. As for Stephen's image not showing them, it's probably just a matter of lighting.

… Jim McClarin, 25 July, 2008 - 5:41am

Nice going, Stephen.

Try to rear it and see if you can get us some better adult images.

… Jim McClarin, 24 July, 2008 - 7:53pm

Thanks...

I really have no idea how to rear it. Actually, tried to email you earlier on to ask, since you were successful with the Bo*ros.
I read that these guys feed on decayed cambium. Right now I'm maintaining the larva on hyphae-infested cambium. Seems to be working - it molted yesterday, and added on a few more millimeters.

… Stephen Luk, 24 July, 2008 - 8:11pm

Way to go!

Given its size, this should be its last instar.

… Jim McClarin, 24 July, 2008 - 10:06pm