Longhorn Beetles (NPS National Capital Region Beetle Species Guide)

Longhorn Beetles

Cerambycidae

Summary ⁷

The longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae; also known as long-horned beetles or longicorns) are a cosmopolitan family of beetles, typically characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body. In various members of the family, however, the antennae are quite short (e.g., Neandra brunnea, figured below) and such species can be difficult to distinguish from related beetle families such as Chrysomelidae. The family is large, with over 20,000 species described,...

General description ⁸

Cerambycidae (Long-Horned Beetles)
This is a large family of beetles consisting of several subfamilies. Long-Horned Beetles are medium to large-sized. The adults are rather flat, long, and oval or slightly angular. They are often black or brown, but also exhibit other colors, depending on the species. The antennae are quite long, sometimes even longer than the length of the body. The larvae bore round tunnels through the wood of various species of trees and shrubs, and can cause considerable damage. Some species of Long-Horned Beetles visit flowers to feed on pollen or nectar, particularly in the subfamily to be described next. Lepturinae (Flower Longhorns): These are medium-sized beetles with wing-covers that are broad near the head, but taper gradually toward the posterior. The pronotum and head are narrow and flexible, while the antennae are long. Flower Longhorns are often colorful, sometimes iridescent green, black and yellow, black and red, etc. The adults are common visitors to flowers, feeding on pollen or nectar. The larvae feed on the moist dead wood of various trees and various human artifacts, the latter including wooden poles, cross-ties, and fences that are not treated with insect-resistant chemicals.