Family Buprestidae - Metallic Wood-boring Beetles

Jewel Beetles, Flat-head Borers

Buprestidae Leach 1815

Over 760 spp. in 55 genera in our area, almost 15,000 spp. worldwide(1)(2)

Overview of our fauna* –taxa not yet in the guide; classification adapted from(3)(4)(5); taxa between tribe and genus omitted):

Family BUPRESTIDAE

Subfamily POLYCESTINAE

Subfamily CHRYSOCHROINAE

Subfamily BUPRESTINAE

Subfamily AGRILINAE

guides/keys: ne. NA(6) · Canada(7) · Missouri(8) · Texas(9) · South Carolina(5)

The larvae burrow through roots and logs, from within the bark to within the cambium layers, or are leaf and stem miners of herbaceous and woody plants, including grasses. Most of the wood boring species attack dying trees or dying/dead branches on healthy trees, only a few bore into green wood. Some produce galls on alder, roses, blue beech, ironwood, and hazelnut; a few live in pine cones or herbaceous plants.(1)