Cactus-associate
Guides
Acmaeodera neoneglecta
Acmaeodera neoneglecta is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Fisher in 1949. 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 (prosternal margin nearly straight). The species occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where adults have been collected from flowers of various plants including cacti and herbaceous species.
Cacama valvata
common cactus dodger
Cacama valvata, commonly known as the common cactus dodger, is a cicada species in the family Cicadidae. It is distributed across the southern Great Plains and western North America, from Texas and New Mexico west to California. The species is notable for its tight ecological association with cacti, particularly cholla (Cylindropuntia spp.) and prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), which serve as both host plants for nymphal root-feeding and perching sites for adults. Males produce a loud, distinctive song described as a high-pitched metallic zing or shrill buzz, often likened to a table saw cutting through wood. Adults are fast-flying, alert, and capable of landing on spiny cactus hosts without becoming impaled. The species has been observed engaging in courtship singing, with males approaching females while producing long, wavering shrills that transition to shorter sequences upon close approach, followed by leg touching, mounting, and copulation. Females oviposit almost exclusively in dry, dead, skeletonized cactus stems, where eggs may remain for several months awaiting fall rains to trigger hatching.
Lithurgopsis echinocacti
Barrel Cactus Woodborer
Lithurgopsis echinocacti is a species of woodborer bee in the family Megachilidae, originally described as Lithurgus echinocacti by Cockerell in 1898. The species is commonly known as the Barrel Cactus Woodborer. It belongs to a genus of bees that specialize in boring into wood or plant stems for nesting, with this species showing particular association with cacti. The genus Lithurgopsis is distinguished from the related Lithurgus by morphological characteristics and geographic distribution patterns.
Trichiotinus rufobrunneus
Florida flower scarab
Trichiotinus rufobrunneus is a species of flower scarab beetle endemic to Florida, commonly known as the Florida flower scarab. It belongs to the genus Trichiotinus, a North American endemic group of trichiine scarabs. The species is associated with the flowers of Opuntia australis (Florida pricklypear cactus), an endemic plant, and has been observed mating within these flowers. Its distribution is limited to Florida, making it a species of conservation concern due to habitat loss from urban development and agriculture.