Species Tetraopes tetrophthalmus - Red Milkweed Beetle
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Chrysomeloidea (Long-horned and Leaf Beetles)
Family Cerambycidae (Longhorned Beetles)
Subfamily Lamiinae (Flat-Faced Longhorns)
Tribe Tetraopini
Genus Tetraopes (Milkweed Longhorns)
Species tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Tetraopes tetraophthalmus (alternate spelling)
Explanation of Names
TETRAOPHTHALMUS: from the Greek "tettares" (four) + "ophthalmos" (the eye); refers to the four eyes of the adult
Size
body length 8-15 mm
Identification
Adult: orangish-red with black spots and four black eyes (two above the antennae, and two below); combination of broad, disk-shaped hump (callus) on pronotum, strong elytral spots, especially the broad subhumeral spot, and unringed antennae are distinctive for this species (1).
Range
Central and eastern North America north of Florida.
Habitat
Meadows, roadsides with milkweed
Season
Adults May-September (in northeast).
Food
Larvae feed on milkweed (Asclepias spp.), especially Common Milkweed (A. syriaca), and dogbane (Apocynum spp.) (1)
Life Cycle
Eggs are laid on stems near ground or just below surface. Larvae bore into stems, overwinter in roots, and pupate in spring. Adults emerge in early summer (2).
