Buprestidae
Guides
Acanthochalcis
Acanthochalcis is a genus of chalcidid wasps in the family Chalcididae, subfamily Cratocentrinae. These are large, distinctive parasitic wasps characterized by their greatly swollen, toothed hind femora and exceptionally long ovipositors. The genus contains at least two commonly encountered North American species, A. nigricans and A. unispinosa, which are parasitoids of jewel beetles (Buprestidae), particularly species in the genus Chrysobothris.
Acanthochalcis unispinosa
Acanthochalcis unispinosa is a large chalcidid wasp distinguished from its congener A. nigricans by the absence of white pubescent patches on the abdomen. It ranges from Texas to California and is a known parasitoid of jewel beetles (Buprestidae), particularly species in the genus Chrysobothris. The genus is notable among chalcidids for its large body size and extraordinarily long ovipositor, adaptations for reaching wood-boring beetle larvae in their galleries.
Acmaeodera
Acmaeodera is a large genus of jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) with over 150 species in North America, reaching greatest diversity in the desert southwest and Mexico. Adults are metallic, often with distinctive color patterns, and are frequently observed visiting flowers to feed on pollen. The genus is distinguished by unique flight morphology: elytra are fused along the midline and remain closed during flight, functioning as a protective shield over the abdomen while only the hindwings provide propulsion. This trait, combined with abdominal banding in many species, creates a wasp-like appearance in flight and has led to recognition of several species as hymenopteran mimics. Larvae are wood-borers in twigs and branches of various woody plants.
Buprestidaejewel-beetlesmetallic-wood-boring-beetlesflower-visitorspollen-feederselytra-fusionflight-morphologyhymenopteran-mimicrywood-borersNorth-AmericaMexicoArizonaTexasCaliforniaNew-MexicoOklahomaAlbertaAsteraceaeCercocarpusspring-activemonsoon-activefall-activetaxonomically-difficultcollector's-itemdiurnalCerceris-preyAcmaeodera acanthicola
Acmaeodera acanthicola is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by Barr in 1972 and occurs in Central America and North America. Adults have been recorded on Prosopis and Parkinsonia, while larvae develop in Celtis. Like other members of this large genus, it exhibits the characteristic jewel beetle morphology with metallic coloration.
Acmaeodera adenostomae
Acmaeodera adenostomae is a small jewel beetle (Buprestidae) described by Cazier in 1938. It belongs to the large and taxonomically challenging genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America. The species epithet 'adenostomae' suggests an association with the plant genus Adenostoma, though specific biological details remain poorly documented. Like many western North American Acmaeodera, it likely occurs in arid or semi-arid habitats. The genus is characterized by flower-visiting adults and wood-boring larvae, but species-level biology for A. adenostomae has not been specifically recorded.
Acmaeodera alpina
Acmaeodera alpina is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1972. It occurs in the western United States and exhibits atypical behavior for the genus by being more frequently encountered on granite and bare soil than on flowers. Adults have been recorded utilizing Leptodactylon pungens as a host plant.
Acmaeodera amplicollis
Acmaeodera amplicollis is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species is distributed across Central America and North America. It is frequently observed visiting flowers of various composite plants (Asteraceae), particularly species of Isocoma, Heterotheca, Heliomeris, and Gutierrezia. Adults are active during late summer and early autumn.
Acmaeodera angelica
Acmaeodera angelica is a metallic woodboring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by Fall in 1899 and occurs in western North America. It belongs to a genus of flower-visiting buprestids, with adults frequently found on blossoms of various host plants. The species is one of approximately two dozen Buprestidae associated with Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany) in North America, and has been confirmed breeding within dead branches of this plant genus.
Acmaeodera atactospilota
Acmaeodera atactospilota is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Westcott in 1971. The genus Acmaeodera comprises over 150 species in North America and is in need of taxonomic revision, with many species difficult to identify without comparison to determined specimens. Like other members of this large genus, A. atactospilota likely exhibits typical jewel beetle characteristics including metallic coloration and flower-visiting behavior, though species-specific details remain poorly documented.
Acmaeodera auritincta
Acmaeodera auritincta is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The genus Acmaeodera is one of the largest genera of jewel beetles in North America, with over 150 species. Adults in this genus typically visit flowers to feed on pollen, though specific records for A. auritincta are limited. The species was described by Fall in 1922.
Acmaeodera aurora
Acmaeodera aurora is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Fall in 1922. Like other members of this large North American genus, it belongs to a group of small beetles that are often associated with flowers as adults. The genus Acmaeodera contains over 150 species in North America and is in need of taxonomic revision, with new species continuing to be described from the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Acmaeodera bivulnera
Acmaeodera bivulnera is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by George Henry Horn in 1894. The species occurs in Central America and North America. Like other members of this large genus, it belongs to a group of jewel beetles characterized by their metallic coloration and flower-visiting behavior, though specific details about its biology remain poorly documented.
Acmaeodera bowditchi
Acmaeodera bowditchi is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is found in North America, with documented records from the southwestern United States including Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Adults have been observed visiting flowers of various plant species, particularly in pinyon-juniper woodland and related habitats. The species was described by Fall in 1901.
Acmaeodera cazieri
Acmaeodera cazieri is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Knull in 1960. It occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it has been collected from flowers of various herbaceous plants and shrubs. The species is associated with desert and semi-arid habitats, particularly in Arizona and adjacent regions. Adults have been observed on yellow-flowered composites, prickly poppy (Argemone), and trailing four o'clock (Allionia incarnata).
Acmaeodera chiricahuae
Acmaeodera chiricahuae is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1972. It is known from the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona and adjacent regions of southwestern North America. Adults are associated with oak woodlands, particularly Quercus arizonica (Arizona white oak), where they have been collected by beating fresh foliage. The species is one of many oak-associated Agrilus and related buprestids that emerge prior to the summer monsoon season in the Sky Islands region.
Acmaeodera comata
Acmaeodera comata is a species of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) in the genus Acmaeodera, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1858. It belongs to the Nearctic fauna and is one of approximately 790 species and subspecies of Buprestidae recognized in North America. The species is part of the Acmaeodera (s. str.) subgenus and is included in the 'Truncatae' group, characterized by a nearly straight prosternal margin that is not retracted from the sides. Like other members of this large and taxonomically challenging genus, A. comata is poorly known biologically and lacks modern taxonomic revision.
Acmaeodera condita
Acmaeodera condita is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1972. It belongs to the diverse genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America. The species is found in the Nearctic region, specifically in North America.
Acmaeodera conoidea
Acmaeodera conoidea is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Fall in 1899. It belongs to the 'tubulus-species group' within the genus, characterized by small size (<8 mm), black coloration with yellow maculations on the elytra, and membership in the 'Truncatae' group (species with prosternal margin nearly straight). The species occurs in the south-central and southwestern United States. Like other members of its species group, it is difficult to identify without comparison to determined specimens due to the lack of modern revisionary work on the genus.
Acmaeodera coquilletti
Acmaeodera coquilletti is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Fall in 1899. It belongs to the large and taxonomically challenging genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America. Like other members of this genus, it is presumed to be a flower-visiting species with larvae that develop in woody plant material, though specific details remain poorly documented.
Acmaeodera cribricollis
Acmaeodera cribricollis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It occurs in Central America and North America. Adults have been documented on Neltuma glandulosa plants, though the nature of this association remains incompletely characterized.
Acmaeodera cuneata
Acmaeodera cuneata is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is found in North America. Like other members of the genus Acmaeodera, adults are typically flower visitors, feeding on pollen.
Acmaeodera davidsoni
Acmaeodera davidsoni is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Barr in 1972. It belongs to a large genus of jewel beetles known for their metallic coloration and association with woody plants. The species occurs in both Central America and North America, placing it within the Nearctic and Neotropical biogeographic realms. Like other members of the genus, adults are likely diurnal and associated with flowering plants.
Acmaeodera decipiens
Acmaeodera decipiens is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It occurs in Central America and North America, with records from the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species is known to visit flowers of various composite and other flowering plants.
Acmaeodera depressa
Acmaeodera depressa is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It was described by Barr in 1972. The species is found in North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented. Like other members of the genus Acmaeodera, it is presumed to be associated with woody plants, but direct host records have not been published.
Acmaeodera deviata
A small jewel beetle in the genus Acmaeodera, described by Barr in 1972. The species belongs to the diverse and taxonomically challenging Acmaeodera genus, which contains over 150 species in North America. Like many congeners, it is likely associated with flowers as an adult, though specific biological details remain poorly documented. The genus is in need of revision, with many species difficult to identify without reference to determined specimens.
Acmaeodera diffusa
Acmaeodera diffusa is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1969. The species is known from western North America, with records from Utah and surrounding regions. Adults are flower visitors, frequently collected from blooms of pricklypear cacti (Opuntia), globemallow (Sphaeralcea), and other desert forbs. Like other Acmaeodera species, larvae likely develop in dead or dying woody plants, though specific host associations remain incompletely documented.
Acmaeodera dolorosa
Acmaeodera dolorosa is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is found in North America. Two subspecies are recognized: A. dolorosa dolorosa Fall, 1899 and A. dolorosa liberta Fall, 1922. The species is one of approximately two dozen jewel beetles associated with Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany) in western North America.
Acmaeodera ephedrae
Acmaeodera ephedrae is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1943. It belongs to the large and taxonomically challenging genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America. Very little specific information has been published about this species beyond its original description and basic distribution records. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to have wood-boring larvae and flower-visiting adults, but these life history traits have not been directly documented for this particular species.
Acmaeodera errans
Acmaeodera errans is a species of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) described by Barr in 1972. It belongs to the large genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America and is in need of taxonomic revision. Very little specific information has been published about this particular species beyond its original description and basic taxonomic classification.
Acmaeodera fenyesi
Acmaeodera fenyesi is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Fall in 1899. The species belongs to the large genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America and is particularly diverse in the desert southwest and Mexico. Like other members of this genus, it is likely associated with woody host plants as larvae and may visit flowers as an adult. The species is found in Central America and North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented.
Acmaeodera flavomarginata
Yellow-margined Flower Buprestid
Acmaeodera flavomarginata is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is one of relatively few North American jewel beetles that exhibits fall activity, with adults emerging in autumn rather than the more typical spring-summer period seen in most congeners. Adults are readily attracted to flowers, particularly those in the family Asteraceae, where they feed on pollen. The species has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning Central America, North America, and South America, with specific records from the southcentral United States including Texas and Oklahoma.
Acmaeodera gillespiensis
Acmaeodera gillespiensis is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Knull in 1941. The species is a west Texas specialty with scattered records extending into southeastern New Mexico. It has been documented on flowers of Echinocereus enneacanthus (strawberry cactus) and Opuntia camanchica (tulip pricklypear cactus), suggesting adult association with blooming cacti. Records indicate activity in late May to early June.
Acmaeodera haemorrhoa
Acmaeodera haemorrhoa is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by LeConte in 1858. It occurs in Central America and North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Acmaeodera holsteni
Holsten's flower buprestid, Holsten's Flower Buprestid Beetle
Acmaeodera holsteni is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is native to North America. The species belongs to the large genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America and is particularly diverse in the desert southwest and Mexico.
Acmaeodera horni
Acmaeodera horni is a rare species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Fall in 1899. It has been documented from the Dragoon Mountains of southeastern Arizona, where adults have been found on flowers of Fallugia paradoxa (Apache plum). The species is considered one of the rarest Acmaeodera in North America, with very few collection records and observations.
Acmaeodera idahoensis
Acmaeodera idahoensis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Barr in 1969. It belongs to the diverse genus Acmaeodera, which contains approximately 150 species in North America. The species has been recorded from British Columbia, Canada, and is part of the Nearctic fauna. Like other members of its genus, it is associated with woody host plants and contributes to the complex ecological relationships between jewel beetles and their environments.
Acmaeodera inopinata
Acmaeodera inopinata is a species of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) described by Barr in 1972. Like other members of this large North American genus, it belongs to a taxonomically challenging group of small beetles, many of which remain poorly known. The genus Acmaeodera contains over 150 species in North America and is in need of revision, with new species continuing to be recognized from the desert Southwest and Mexico.
Acmaeodera knowltoni
Acmaeodera knowltoni is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Barr in 1969. The species occurs in western North America, with documented records from Utah and surrounding regions. Adults are flower-visitors, frequently collected from blooms of Sphaeralcea, Penstemon, Rosa woodsii, and other flowering plants. The species is larger than the similar A. rubronotata, with uniformly orange rather than yellow elytral flecks with red towards the apices.
Acmaeodera labyrinthica
Acmaeodera labyrinthica is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It was described by Fall in 1899 and occurs in North America. Like other members of the large genus Acmaeodera, this species exhibits metallic coloration and is associated with woody vegetation. The genus contains over 150 species in North America and is in need of taxonomic revision, with many species difficult to identify without comparison to determined specimens.
Acmaeodera latiflava lineipicta
A subspecies of jewel beetle in the genus Acmaeodera, described by Fall in 1931. Belongs to the large and taxonomically challenging genus Acmaeodera, which contains approximately 150 species in North America and is in need of modern revision. The subspecies is part of a complex of small, black beetles with yellow maculations on the elytra.
Acmaeodera lupinae
Acmaeodera lupinae is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Nelson in 1996. It belongs to the large and taxonomically challenging genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America. Like other members of this genus, it is a jewel beetle with metallic coloration. The specific epithet 'lupinae' suggests an association with lupine plants (Lupinus spp.), though this relationship requires confirmation.
Acmaeodera mariposa
Mariposa Jewel Beetle
Acmaeodera mariposa is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Horn in 1878. The species is found in North America and comprises two subspecies: A. m. mariposa and A. m. dohrni. It belongs to a group of jewel beetles associated with Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany) host plants in western North America, with confirmed breeding records from dead branches of this plant genus.
Acmaeodera mariposa dohrni
Acmaeodera mariposa dohrni is a subspecies of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is one of approximately two dozen buprestid species associated with Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany) in western North America. The species is part of the Acmaeodera mariposa complex, which includes the nominate subspecies A. m. mariposa. This subspecies has been confirmed breeding in dead branches of Cercocarpus ledifolius and is among five buprestid species exclusively associated with this host genus.
Acmaeodera miliaris
Acmaeodera miliaris is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Horn in 1878. The species occurs in Central America and North America. It belongs to a large genus of jewel beetles commonly associated with flowers and woody vegetation in arid and semi-arid regions. Like other members of Acmaeodera, adults are typically active during spring and early summer.
Acmaeodera mimicata
Acmaeodera mimicata is a species of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) described by Knull in 1938. It belongs to the large and taxonomically challenging genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America. The species epithet "mimicata" suggests a mimetic appearance, likely resembling bees or wasps as is common in this genus. Very few specific records or biological observations have been published for this species.
Acmaeodera mojavei
Acmaeodera mojavei is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Westcott in 1971. It is a member of the large genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America and is particularly diverse in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species is found in the Nearctic region, specifically in North America. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to be associated with flowers as an adult and to have wood-boring larvae, though specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Acmaeodera navajo
A small buprestid beetle species described in 1995 from the southwestern United States. Adults are flower visitors, specifically documented on Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia (gooseberryleaf globemallow) and Helianthus anomalus (anomalous sunflower) in pinyon-juniper woodland habitats. The species occurs in northern Arizona and southern Utah, where it has been collected alongside congeners A. pubiventris lanata and A. immaculata.
Acmaeodera nelsoni
Acmaeodera nelsoni is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1972. It belongs to the nominate subgenus Acmaeodera (s. str.). The species has been documented as associated with Cercocarpus ledifolius (curl-leaf mountain mahogany), a host relationship confirmed through rearing records. It is one of approximately two dozen North American Buprestidae species linked to Cercocarpus hosts, with several species in this genus being Cercocarpus specialists.
Acmaeodera nevadica
Acmaeodera nevadica is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1972. It belongs to the hyperdiverse genus Acmaeodera, which contains approximately 149 species and subspecies in North America. The species is known from the Nearctic region of North America, though specific details regarding its biology, host associations, and precise distribution remain poorly documented in the available literature. Like most members of its genus, it likely exhibits metallic coloration and develops as a larva in woody plant material.
Acmaeodera nexa
Acmaeodera nexa is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Henry Clinton Fall in 1922. It is one of approximately 150 species in the genus Acmaeodera in North America, a taxonomically challenging group often referred to as jewel beetles due to their metallic coloration. The species is associated with Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany) in western North America, where adults have been observed and larvae likely develop in dead branches.