Category Archives: Beetles
Dead wood, ashes.
One of Shakerag Hollow’s giant trees has fallen. An ash that until last week held its arms in the highest reaches of the canopy now sprawls across the forest floor, its body utterly torn. I’ll go back soon and “measure” … Continue reading
Posted in Beetles, Plants, Shakerag Hollow, Trees
Tagged ash, borer, dead wood, old growth, sewanee, shakerag hollow
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Eastern Hercules beetle — Dynastes tityus
I found this impressive beetle lying dead alongside the trail in Abbo’s Alley. The two large horns identify it as a male. The somewhat fearsome appearance belies the animal’s nature. Hercules beetles are harmless creatures, feeding on rotting wood as … Continue reading
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Yellow and black beetle — the Goldenrod Soldier
These beetles become very abundant in late summer and early autumn. As their name implies, they are fond of goldenrod flowers, but they are also common on asters and other late-blooming flowers. In addition to pollen and nectar, the adult … Continue reading
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Hit in the head by large brown beetle with long antennae
Which serves me right for sitting next to an open window at night with the light on. The beetle zoomed in and started dashing itself repeated on my head. I think this is Orthosoma brunneum, one of the longhorn … Continue reading
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Prionus root-boring beetle
This beetle was running all over the leaf litter and around the base of trees, probing the ground with the end of its abdomen. It seemed to be laying eggs with a lance-like ovipositor. If my identification is correct, the … Continue reading
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