California-central-valley
Guides
Desmocerus californicus dimorphus
Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle
Desmocerus californicus dimorphus is a federally threatened subspecies of longhorn beetle endemic to California's Central Valley. Adults display striking aposematic coloration with metallic blue bodies and orange elytral markings. The subspecies is sexually dimorphic, with males possessing notably longer antennae than females. It completes its entire life cycle in association with elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea), with larvae developing in living stems and roots. Detection has been substantially improved through the use of synthetic sex-attractant pheromones.