Guess who - Neomida bicornis

Do you have

images of the damage to the fungus by any chance? I want to try to figure out who's responsible for the exit holes and galleries I often see in polypores etc.

… Charley Eiseman, 4 May, 2008 - 8:36pm

There are many fungus feeders.

I didn't notice exit holes, just larvae and adults inside the fungus. I checked on my two pupae immediately after posting these images. Both had eclosed. I'll post pix soon.

… Jim McClarin, 4 May, 2008 - 8:47pm

Many...

Yes, I know it's probably a hopeless quest, but I'm wondering if there are certain fungus feeders that leave characteristic signs (for instance, I often see round exit holes of more than a quarter inch in diameter; recently I've found several birch polypores with neat galleries like those of wood-boring beetles), while others simply leave the fungus in a powdery mess.

Congratulations on another successful rearing!

… Charley Eiseman, 4 May, 2008 - 9:03pm

Most common in soft birch conks

is this species although I have found adult Platy*dema and Ciid*ae in them as well. (Asterisks added to foil searches for those terms from showing this image.)

Are you sure you don't want to hazard a guess here before I post the teneral adult images? The pupal images contain a very strong clue.

… Jim McClarin, 5 May, 2008 - 5:24am

my guess

Here's my guess.

… Jeff Gruber, 5 May, 2008 - 9:53am

Bingo!

A couple of males. I'll post tenerals in a bit.

… Jim McClarin, 5 May, 2008 - 5:58pm