Temnoscheila

Members of Temnoscheila can be distinguished from the superficially similar genus Lecontia (family Boridae) by their more agile movement and often slightly iridescent or metallic coloration, whereas Lecontia species are jet black and slow-moving. Within Trogossitidae, Temnoscheila species may be recognized by their association with the tribe Trogossitini. The base of the antenna in related groups is sometimes concealed by a ridge, though specific diagnostic characters for Temnoscheila require specialist examination.

Associated with bark and wood of trees; specific microhabitat preferences vary by species.

Records exist from Norway (NO) and Sweden (SE); broader distribution includes North America based on specimen records.

Cerambycid beetles (longhorn beetles); demonstrated in T. virescens through attraction to cerambycid pheromones (3-hydroxyhexan-2-one) in field studies in Georgia and South Carolina.

Attracted to cerambycid beetle pheromones, indicating use of chemical cues to locate prey. This eavesdropping on prey communication signals represents a notable predatory strategy.

Predator of cerambycid beetles; may play a role in regulating populations of wood-boring beetles in forest ecosystems.

• LecontiaSuperficially similar conifer bark beetles with convex, bullet-like shape and bead-like antennae, but distinguished by slow movement, jet black non-metallic coloration, and concealed antennal bases
• Tenebrionidae (darkling beetles)Some Temnoscheila species have bead-like antennae reminiscent of tenebrionids, but differ in body form and predatory habits

• predator
• chemical ecology
• forest insect
• bark-associated

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Bug Eric: Borids Are Not Bor-ing
• Cerambycid Pheromones Attract PredatorsTemnoscheila virescens(Coleoptera: Trogossitidae),Chariessa pilosa(Coleoptera: Cleridae), andApiomerus crassipes(Hemiptera: Reduviidae)