Flowering-dogwood
Guides
Molorchus bimaculatus bimaculatus
ant-mimic longhorned beetle
Molorchus bimaculatus bimaculatus is a small longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, notable for its striking resemblance to ants—a clear example of Batesian mimicry. Adults measure less than 10 mm and are commonly encountered in early spring on flowering trees, particularly flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). The species belongs to a genus well-known among ant-mimicking cerambycids, though it can be distinguished from similar genera by specific morphological features. Its distribution includes parts of North America, with records from the eastern United States and Canada.