Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Megacyllene caryae - Hickory Borer

 Beetle from West Virginia - Megacyllene caryae need ID on this flying insect - Megacyllene caryae Unknown in West Chester, PA - Megacyllene caryae Hickory Borer - Megacyllene caryae Locust or Hickory Borer - Megacyllene caryae  Hickory borer? - Megacyllene caryae - male - female Megacyllene caryae? - Megacyllene caryae Hickory borer? - Megacyllene caryae
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Chrysomeloidea (Longhorn and Leaf Beetles)
Family Cerambycidae (Longhorn Beetles)
Subfamily Cerambycinae
Tribe Clytini
Genus Megacyllene
Species caryae (Hickory Borer)
Other Common Names
Painted Hickory Borer - PHB (1)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Megacyllene caryae (Gahan)
Orig. Comb: Cyllene caryae Gahan 1908
Explanation of Names
caryae (L). "of Carya", the genus of trees which includes hickories and pecans.
Size
10-20 mm (1)
Identification
typically elytral bands narrow and alternating white and yellow (1)
metepisternum with white or yellow pubescence divided at middle (2)

Det. M. A. Quinn, 2017
Range
e US (TX-GA-MA-KS) plus ON; the most abundantly collected cerambycid in north-central Texas (3)
Season
mainly Mar-May but also Sep-Nov in TX (3)(BG data)
Food
larvae mine newly dead hickory, and sometimes other hardwoods. (1)
Life Cycle
Adults emerging in spring to lay eggs beneath bark scales on logs cut the previous winter. The larvae feed for several weeks then bore into the sapwood and later the heartwood. Pupation occurs in the fall at the end of a larval mine behind a wad of fibrous frass.(4)

Overwinter as pupae(4)

One generation per year(4)
Remarks
attracted to UV lights (1)
See Also
Locust Borer (Megacyllene robinae) is active mainly Aug-Oct rather than in the spring, is widely distributed, has all yellow elytral markings, and its metepisternum (region between 2nd & 3rd hind leg) is nearly completely covered in yellow pubescence (2)
Internet References
Works Cited
1.Field Guide to Northeastern Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
Douglas Yanega. 1996. Illinois Natural History Survey.
2.Illustrated Key to the Longhorned Woodboring Beetles of the Eastern United States
Steven W. Lingafelter. 2008. Coleopterists Society.
3.The Cerambycidae of north-central Texas.
Lingafelter, S.W. & N.V. Horner. 1993. Coleopterists Bulletin, 47(2): 159-191.
4.Eastern Forest Insects
Whiteford L. Baker. 1972. U.S. Department of Agriculture · Forest Service.