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Photo#494856
wood-boring larvae, central florida

wood-boring larvae, central florida
Citrus County, Florida, USA
March 3, 2011
Size: about 2" long
I found more than 20 big larvae with adult bess beetles and eyed click beetles (Alaus oculatus) inside rotting logs. Pre-chewed wood and large tunnels were evident in the logs.

Actually, I found three different large larvae inside the logs. I think this is NOT the bess beetle or the eyed click beetle larvae. Can anyone identify this larvae for me?

Thanks,
Randy

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Long horned borer.
Family Cerambycidae.

 
Thanks Natalie. I happened u
Thanks Natalie. I happened up on a pic of the asian longhorned beetle larvae wile trying to research and i.d. this larvae, and thought it looked like the one I found. Then, you confirmed it with your post .
Thanks again,
Randy

 
Rotten wood
means it is probably one of the prionines, possibly Mallodon dasystomus, which is pretty common in decaying hardwoods in Florida.

 
But do not
automatically assume that these are the introduced Asians. I think it's worth rearing because it's already so big. Might be an interesting sp of Cerambycid

 
cerambycidae larvae rearing
Is it possible to rear these larvae to adult form? I have them in with decayed log substrate now. What else should I do?

 
It can be difficult
Your best bet is just to keep them in the dead log material like you have it now. sometimes though they emerge and don't harden properly if they aren't packed into wood tightly. That actually helps them shed their pupal case as they emerge. Make sure they stay a little damp too, but not too wet.

 
more on larvae
Thanks for your comments. I am interested in seeing them emerge, if anything lives.

I have removed some elateroid larvae from among them, which may be the cause of several recent dead larvae (some larvae were attacked by fire ants while collecting them). Also, small flies have found the bugs in the garage. They might just be on the dead larvae, but also could be harming the adult bess beetles and perhaps the live larvae. ?? It would seem that I need a breathable barrier to put over the containers to protect them; I'm thinking doubling up screen material.

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