Harlequin beetle of the longhorned beetle family has a wide range from southern Mexico to Uruguay. The elaborate and striking color pattern exhibited in these beetles earns them their name. These beetles have the unique ability to carry pseudoscorpions in their abdomen and help them reach their food sources or find a potential mate for themselves.
Size: 76 mm (3 inches)
Color: They have a striking red and black pattern with a greenish-yellow marking on their wing covers.
Other Characteristic Features: Sexual dimorphism is prominent in these beetles. The males have long and nearly straight forelegs, cephalic horns, and large mandibles. In the females, the forelegs are shorter and more curved, the mandibles are smaller while the cephalic horns remain absent.
They have a white hairy body, and these beetles spend a significant part of their life as larvae.
The pupa remains buried in the tunnel, bored by the larva in the wood it inhabits.
The eggs appear small and white.
| Adult lifespan | About six months |
| Duration of larval stage | Approximately 9 years |
| Distribution | Southern Mexico, parts of Uruguay |
| Habitat | Tropical forests, in the woods of fig and other trees |
| Common Predators | Birds |
| Seasons active from | March – June |
| Host Plants | Figs and other plants in the tropical region |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Sap of the trees of their host plants |
Not much is known about the damage caused by these beetles to the trees. However, since the larvae bore into the wood, they are likely to hamper its quality to a certain extent.
Image Source: i1.wp.com, i.pinimg.com, felipedelbosque.files.wordpress.com, live.staticflickr.com
Harlequin beetle of the longhorned beetle family has a wide range from southern Mexico to Uruguay. The elaborate and striking color pattern exhibited in these beetles earns them their name. These beetles have the unique ability to carry pseudoscorpions in their abdomen and help them reach their food sources or find a potential mate for themselves.
Size: 76 mm (3 inches)
Color: They have a striking red and black pattern with a greenish-yellow marking on their wing covers.
Other Characteristic Features: Sexual dimorphism is prominent in these beetles. The males have long and nearly straight forelegs, cephalic horns, and large mandibles. In the females, the forelegs are shorter and more curved, the mandibles are smaller while the cephalic horns remain absent.
They have a white hairy body, and these beetles spend a significant part of their life as larvae.
The pupa remains buried in the tunnel, bored by the larva in the wood it inhabits.
The eggs appear small and white.
| Adult lifespan | About six months |
| Duration of larval stage | Approximately 9 years |
| Distribution | Southern Mexico, parts of Uruguay |
| Habitat | Tropical forests, in the woods of fig and other trees |
| Common Predators | Birds |
| Seasons active from | March – June |
| Host Plants | Figs and other plants in the tropical region |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Sap of the trees of their host plants |
Not much is known about the damage caused by these beetles to the trees. However, since the larvae bore into the wood, they are likely to hamper its quality to a certain extent.
Image Source: i1.wp.com, i.pinimg.com, felipedelbosque.files.wordpress.com, live.staticflickr.com
