Hickory Borer

Megacyllene caryae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Chrysomeloidea
Family: Cerambycidae
Subfamily: Cerambycinae
Tribe: Clytini
Genus: Megacyllene
Species: caryae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Megacyllene caryae: //ˌmɛɡəˈsɪləni kəˈraɪ.i//

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Summary

Megacyllene caryae, also known as the hickory borer or painted hickory borer, is a species of beetle that primarily feeds on hickory trees and other hardwoods. They are recognized for their distinctive coloration and adaptive life cycle.

Physical Characteristics

10–20 mm; elytral bands typically narrow and alternating white & yellow; metepisternum with white or yellow pubescence divided at middle.

Identification Tips

Look for the alternating bands of white and yellow on the elytra and the distinctive pubescence on the metepisternum.

Habitat

Larvae inhabit newly dead hickory and sometimes other hardwoods.

Distribution

Eastern United States (MA, GA to WI, KS, TX) and Ontario, as well as northern Mexico; also reported from Hiva Oa, Marquesas islands, French Polynesia.

Diet

Larvae feed primarily on hickory and other hardwoods, particularly in the genera Carya and Juglans.

Life Cycle

Univoltine; adults emerge in spring to lay eggs beneath bark scales; larvae feed for several weeks, then bore into sapwood and later heartwood, pupating in the fall.

Reproduction

Adults emerge in spring and lay eggs beneath bark scales on logs cut the previous winter.

Ecosystem Role

As a woodboring beetle, it plays a role in decomposing dead hardwoods and influencing forest dynamics.