This was one of three Valgus adults, one Ceru*chus pi*ceus sta*g beetle, and perhaps a dozen small white scaraboid larv*ae I found in an oak log that was riddled with galleries -- presumably of ant*s. (I saw small pockets of hibernating black ant*s in a few places but no ter*mites.)

The other two adults are clearly Valgus seti*collis with a very dark brown base marked with dark and light setae. This one has a reddish base marked with lighter and darker setae. It seems to have a minor furrow on its pronutum that would suggest V. caniculatus but it bears little similarity in markings to those already posted on bugguide. The teeth on the front tibia are clearly not those of V. set*icollis.

The University of New Hampshire checklist contains three Valgus species: Valgus canaliculatus, setic*ollis, and s*quamiger. I made an unsuccessful attempt to locate a web image of the latter species. In my Web research it appears sq*uamiger may be treated as a synonym of setic*ollis.

(Outrageous insertion of asterisks in some insect names is intended to prevent this image from being shown in searches on those words.)