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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Longhorn and Leaf Beetles (Chrysomeloidea) » Longhorn Beetles (Cerambycidae) » Flower Longhorn Beetles (Lepturinae) » Desmocerini » Elderberry Longhorn Beetles (Desmocerus) » Desmocerus californicus » Desmocerus californicus dimorphus
Photo#513386
Desmocerus californicus dimorphus - Desmocerus californicus - female
Copyright © 2011 D.A. Clarke

Desmocerus californicus dimorphus - Desmocerus californicus - Female
along Big Chico Creek at CSU campus, Butte County, California, USA
April 21, 2011
A valley elderberry longhorn beetle (VELB). This specimen was observed within a few hundred meters from the site where I saw my VELB two years earlier. Each beetle was observed and photographed only. Thanks again D.A. Clarke for letting me post your photo.
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Contributed by Brady Richards on 8 May, 2011 - 2:28pm
Last updated 6 April, 2016 - 2:12am

Moved
Moved from Desmocerus californicus.
… Mike Quinn, 6 April, 2016 - 2:01am login or register to post comments

appears to be Desmocerus californicus californicus
not D. c. dimorphus per Cerambycidae Catalog images...
… Mike Quinn, 29 April, 2013 - 10:29am login or register to post comments

 
Gender
This photo is of a female. All of Bezark's images for D. c. dimorphus are of males:http://plant.cdfa.ca.gov/byciddb/details.asp?id=6781.

As I understand it, the females of the two subspecies are very similar, but locality is important. D. c. dimorphus, the infamous VELB, is found here in the Central Valley while the nominate form is at elevation in the coastals. I'm not sure where the dividing line is, but legally, you have to be very careful about any and all Desmocerus found below 3500 ft. JC Dittes has done survey work for VELBs and is more up on the legal stuff than I.
… Brady Richards, 29 April, 2013 - 11:16am login or register to post comments

 
Most likely D.c. dimorphus
Yes, Brady is correct. The females of the subspecies are basically indistinguishable without DNA, but the locality suggests that it is D. c. dimorphus. I am currently working on a revision of the genus, so hopefully we will have some better digital ID tools coming up pretty soon.
… Phil Schapker, 29 April, 2013 - 6:42pm login or register to post comments

neat, man...
… v belov, 8 May, 2011 - 2:38pm login or register to post comments

 
My VELB was just outside my l
My VELB was just outside my lab. All in all, I really can't complain about where I work! By the way, I'm trying to get permission to post a photo of a live male. More later.
… Brady Richards, 8 May, 2011 - 2:41pm login or register to post comments

 
VELB in Chico
I've been looking at exit holes over the last 20 years, including some on the CSUC campus, along Sacramento River, and now outside our door in Tehama County; I've never seen one. Nice photo.
… J.C.Dittes, 8 May, 2011 - 11:32pm login or register to post comments

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