Jewel-beetle
Guides
Acmaeodera pubiventris pubiventris
Acmaeodera pubiventris pubiventris is a subspecies of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, native to western North America. It belongs to the nominate subspecies of Acmaeodera pubiventris. Adults are active during summer months and have been associated with woody host plants in the genus Cercocarpus.
Acmaeodera pubiventris yumae
Acmaeodera pubiventris yumae is a subspecies of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Knull in 1937. It belongs to the nominate subgenus Acmaeodera (s. str.) and is part of a species complex associated with woody host plants in western North America. The subspecies epithet "yumae" suggests a connection to the Yuma region, though precise type locality details are not provided in available sources. Like other members of Acmaeodera, adults are likely active during warmer months and associated with flowers or host plant foliage.
Acmaeodera pulchella
Flat-headed Bald Cypress Sapwood Borer, Flat-headed Baldcypress Sapwood Beetle
Acmaeodera pulchella is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, commonly known as the flat-headed bald cypress sapwood borer. The species is widely distributed across North America, with records from the United States and Canada including Manitoba and Ontario. It is associated with bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) based on its common name, though specific ecological relationships require further documentation. Adults are active during summer months and have been observed on flowers of herbaceous vegetation in prairie and open woodland habitats.
Acmaeodera pullata
Acmaeodera pullata is a small jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Cazier in 1940. As a member of the large and taxonomically challenging genus Acmaeodera, this species is part of a group of more than 150 North American species, many of which remain poorly known. The genus is characterized by flower-visiting adults and wood-boring larvae, though specific biological details for A. pullata are not well documented in available literature.
Acmaeodera purshiae
bitterbrush jewel beetle
Acmaeodera purshiae, commonly known as the bitterbrush jewel beetle, is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by Fisher in 1926 and is native to North America. The common name suggests an association with bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), a shrub in the Rosaceae family common in western North American arid lands. As with many Acmaeodera species, adults likely visit flowers for pollen feeding, though specific behavioral observations for this species remain limited in published literature.
Acmaeodera quadriseriata
Acmaeodera quadriseriata is a jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) described by Fall in 1899. It belongs to the large North American genus Acmaeodera, which contains approximately 150 species and is in need of taxonomic revision. The species is part of the morphologically similar 'tubulus-species group' characterized by small size (<8 mm), black coloration with yellow elytral maculations, and membership in the 'Truncatae' group. Identification of this and related species is difficult due to inadequate original descriptions and lack of modern identification keys.
Acmaeodera quadrivittatoides
Acmaeodera quadrivittatoides is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Nelson & Westcott in 1995. The species occurs in Central America and North America, with documented records from the southwestern United States and Mexico. Field observations indicate adults are attracted to flowers, particularly those of Opuntia species and various composites, where they feed on pollen.
Acmaeodera recticolloides
Acmaeodera recticolloides is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Richard L. Westcott in 1971. It belongs to the large genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America. The species is placed in the nominate subgenus Acmaeodera (s. str.) within the subtribe Acmaeoderina. Like other members of this genus, it is likely associated with flowers as an adult, though specific biological details remain poorly documented. The species is considered rare in collections, with limited occurrence records.
Acmaeodera retifera
Acmaeodera retifera is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by LeConte in 1859. It 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, adults are flower visitors, though specific details about this species' biology remain poorly documented. The species occurs in the Nearctic region.
Acmaeodera robigo
Acmaeodera robigo is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Josef Knull in 1954 from specimens collected at Lake Corpus Christi in south Texas. The species remained poorly known until 1996, when it was recorded from a pupal cell in Dalea formosa at White River Lake in northern Texas, representing a range extension of nearly 500 miles. Subsequent collections have documented the species in west Texas at Seminole Canyon State Historic Park. The species exhibits variability in elytral markings and punctation not noted in the original description.
Acmaeodera rubrocuprea
Acmaeodera rubrocuprea is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Westcott & Nelson in 2000. The species is known from the southwestern United States and Mexico. It has been confirmed as breeding exclusively within dead branches of Cercocarpus ledifolius (curl-leaf mountain mahogany), making it one of five buprestid species associated exclusively with this host genus. The specific epithet 'rubrocuprea' refers to its reddish-copper coloration.
Acmaeodera rubronotata
Acmaeodera rubronotata is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, distributed across Central America and North America. The species is one of numerous Acmaeodera species frequently encountered on flowers of yellow composites and other Asteraceae in arid and semi-arid regions. Field observations document adults visiting flowers of Heterotheca subaxillaris, Xanthisma gracile, Gutierrezia microcephala, and Heliomeris longifolia. The specific epithet 'rubronotata' refers to red markings on the pronotum.
Acmaeodera sabinae
Acmaeodera sabinae is a small jewel beetle species described by Knull in 1937. It belongs to the A. tubulus-species group, characterized by small size (under 8 mm), black coloration with confused yellow maculations on the elytra, and membership in the 'Truncatae' group of the genus. Like other members of this group, it lacks a subapical crest on the last ventral segment. The species is one of eight described since Fall's 1899 revision of the genus, contributing to the taxonomic complexity of this difficult group that now contains over 150 species in North America.
Acmaeodera scalaris
ladder buprestid
Acmaeodera scalaris, commonly known as the ladder buprestid, is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It occurs across Central America and North America. The species has been documented visiting flowers of various composite and other plant species, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Acmaeodera simulata
Acmaeodera simulata is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It was described by Van Dyke in 1937 and is found in North America. Like other members of the genus Acmaeodera, adults are typically flower visitors that feed on pollen. The species belongs to a large and taxonomically challenging genus of jewel beetles, with approximately 149 species and subspecies recognized in North America.
Acmaeodera sinuata
Acmaeodera sinuata is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Van Dyke in 1919. The species occurs in North America and includes two recognized subspecies: A. s. sinuata and A. s. sexnotata. Like other members of the genus, it is part of a species-rich group of jewel beetles characterized by metallic coloration and flower-visiting adult behavior.
Acmaeodera sinuata sexnotata
A subspecies of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Van Dyke in 1919. As a member of the genus Acmaeodera, it belongs to a diverse group of metallic wood-boring beetles commonly associated with flowers and woody vegetation in North America.
Acmaeodera sinuata sinuata
Acmaeodera sinuata sinuata is a subspecies of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, a group of metallic wood-boring beetles commonly known as jewel beetles. The genus Acmaeodera is highly diverse in North America, with over 140 species and subspecies. Members of this genus are typically small to medium-sized beetles that frequent flowers for pollen feeding. This subspecies occurs in the Nearctic region of North America.
Acmaeodera solitaria
Acmaeodera solitaria is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico, where it has been collected from flowers of yellow-flowered composites and prickly poppy. Adults are active during summer months, particularly July and August. The species was described by Kerremans in 1897.
Acmaeodera sphaeralceae
Acmaeodera sphaeralceae is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1972. Like other members of this large North American genus, it is associated with flowers and woody vegetation. The specific epithet suggests a relationship with plants in the genus Sphaeralcea (globemallows, family Malvaceae), which serve as larval hosts for related species in the genus.
Acmaeodera tenebricosa
Acmaeodera tenebricosa is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It was described by Fall in 1922 and is found in North America. Like other members of the genus Acmaeodera, it is one of approximately 150 species/subspecies of this diverse jewel beetle genus in North America.
Acmaeodera texana
Texas jewel beetle
Acmaeodera texana is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by LeConte in 1860. It occurs in North America, with records from the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species is considered uncommon in many parts of its range, including Missouri where it has been recorded only sporadically. Adults have been observed visiting flowers of Liatris hirsuta and other herbaceous plants in xeric prairie habitats.
Acmaeodera tildenorum
Acmaeodera tildenorum is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Nelson & Westcott in 1995. It belongs to the large and taxonomically challenging genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America. The species is found in Central America and North America, though specific biological details remain poorly documented. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to exhibit typical Acmaeodera characteristics including flower-visiting behavior by adults and larval development in woody plants.
Acmaeodera vanduzeei
Acmaeodera vanduzeei is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It was described by Van Dyke in 1934 and is found in Central America and North America. The species belongs to the subgenus Squamodera within the genus Acmaeodera. Like other members of this genus, adults are typically associated with flowers where they feed on pollen.
Acmaeodera vandykei
Acmaeodera vandykei is a jewel beetle species in the family Buprestidae, described by Fall in 1899. It belongs to the large genus Acmaeodera, which contains approximately 150 species in North America. The species is known to be associated with Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany) in western North America, where adults have been reared from dead branches. Like other members of its genus, adults likely feed on pollen from flowers.
Acmaeodera variegata
Acmaeodera variegata is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, native to North America. The species was described by LeConte in 1852. It has been collected from flowers of Fallugia paradoxa (Apache plum) and Verbesina encelioides (cowpen daisy) in Arizona, and is associated with Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany) as a larval host. The species is part of the diverse Acmaeodera fauna of western North America.
Acmaeodera vernalis
Acmaeodera vernalis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by Barr in 1972 and is distributed across Central America and North America. Like other members of the genus Acmaeodera, it exhibits the characteristic metallic coloration typical of jewel beetles.
Acmaeodera vulturei
Acmaeodera vulturei is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Knull in 1938. The species belongs to the large genus Acmaeodera, which contains over 150 species in North America and is particularly diverse in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other members of its genus, it exhibits metallic coloration typical of jewel beetles. The specific epithet honors an individual, following a pattern seen in related species descriptions from the same era.
Acmaeodera wenzeli
Acmaeodera wenzeli is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Van Dyke in 1919. It is distributed across Central America and North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Acmaeodera wickenburgana
A small jewel beetle in the genus Acmaeodera, described by Knull in 1939. The specific epithet refers to Wickenburg, Arizona, suggesting the type locality. As with many Acmaeodera species, it likely belongs to the taxonomically challenging 'Truncatae' group characterized by a prosternal margin that is nearly straight and not retracted from the sides. The genus contains over 150 species in North America and is in need of modern revision.
Acmaeoderoides distinctus
Acmaeoderoides distinctus is a small jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) described by Gayle H. Nelson in 1968. It belongs to the genus Acmaeoderoides, a group of North American buprestids characterized by their compact body form and association with woody vegetation. The species occurs in shortgrass prairie habitats in the western Great Plains. Like other members of its family, it likely develops in dead or dying wood, though specific host records remain undocumented. The genus is taxonomically significant as one of the more derived lineages within the Acmaeoderini.
Acmaeoderoides humeralis
Acmaeoderoides humeralis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, found in North America. It belongs to the genus Acmaeoderoides, which is part of the Acmaeoderoid lineage within the subfamily Polycestinae. The species was described by Cazier in 1938 and is native to the Nearctic region.
Acmaeoderoides rossi
Acmaeoderoides rossi is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Cazier in 1937. The genus Acmaeoderoides belongs to the diverse Buprestidae family, whose members are characterized by their often metallic coloration and wood-boring larval habits. This species is part of the Nearctic fauna, with records from North America.
Acmaeoderoides stramineus
Acmaeoderoides stramineus is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Nelson in 1968. It belongs to the genus Acmaeoderoides, a small Nearctic genus within the subtribe Acmaeoderoïdina. The species is found in North America. Like other members of Buprestidae, it exhibits metallic coloration typical of jewel beetles.
Acmaeoderoides verityi
Acmaeoderoides verityi is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Gayle H. Nelson in 1968. It belongs to the subtribe Acmaeoderoidina within the tribe Acmaeoderini. The species is part of the Nearctic fauna of North America, a region that represents the primary focus of taxonomic study for the genus. Like other members of Acmaeoderoides, it is considered a relatively uncommon and poorly known species.
Acmaeoderopsis guttifera
Acmaeoderopsis guttifera is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by LeConte in 1859. The species is distributed across Central America and North America, with records from the Nearctic region. As a member of the genus Acmaeoderopsis, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized jewel beetles typically associated with woody vegetation.
Acmaeoderopsis hualpaiana
Acmaeoderopsis hualpaiana is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It was described by Knull in 1952. The genus Acmaeoderopsis belongs to the diverse jewel beetle family, characterized by their metallic coloration and wood-boring larval habits. This species occurs in the Nearctic region of North America.
Acmaeoderopsis hulli
Acmaeoderopsis hulli is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, occurring in Central America and North America. The species has been documented from mesquite-dominated habitats in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Adults are associated with Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite) and have been collected by beating branches and sweeping foliage. The genus Acmaeoderopsis is a small group within Buprestidae with limited published biological information.
Acmaeoderopsis jaguarina
Acmaeoderopsis jaguarina is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Knull in 1938. It belongs to the genus Acmaeoderopsis, a group of small to medium-sized jewel beetles. The species is known from the Nearctic region of North America. Like other buprestids, it likely exhibits the family's characteristic metallic coloration and association with woody vegetation, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Acmaeoderopsis paravaripilis
Acmaeoderopsis paravaripilis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Barr in 1972. It belongs to a genus of small to medium-sized jewel beetles characterized by their metallic coloration. The species is documented from North America, with collection records indicating presence in the southwestern United States. Like other members of Buprestidae, adults are likely associated with woody vegetation and may be collected by beating branches or sweeping flowers.
Acmaeoderopsis prosopis
Acmaeoderopsis prosopis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Davidson in 2006. The species is found in North America, with documented occurrences in the southwestern United States. Field observations indicate it is associated with mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), from which the species epithet derives. Adults have been collected by beating mesquite vegetation and are known to fly quickly when disturbed.
Acmaeoderopsis rockefelleri
Acmaeoderopsis rockefelleri is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It occurs in arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species is associated with mesquite (Prosopis) and acacia (Acacia) host plants, where adults have been collected by beating vegetation.
Acmaeoderopsis westcotti
Acmaeoderopsis westcotti is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by Barr in 1972 and belongs to the genus Acmaeoderopsis, a group of small to medium-sized jewel beetles. It occurs in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, specifically in Middle America and North America.
Actenodes
Actenodes is a genus of jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) containing approximately 100 described species distributed across the Americas, Africa, and Madagascar. The genus includes both widespread species and geographically restricted endemics. Several North American species have been documented as prey of the predatory wasp Cerceris fumipennis, which has been used in biosurveillance programs. Species in this genus are primarily associated with woody vegetation, particularly leguminous trees and shrubs.
Actenodes acornis
Actenodes acornis is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is found in North America, with records from the United States and Canada (Ontario). The species has been documented as prey of the crabronid wasp Cerceris fumipennis, which collects adult buprestids to provision its nests. It belongs to a genus whose larvae typically develop in dead wood, particularly of leguminous trees.
Actenodes auronotata
Actenodes auronotata is a species of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) in the genus Actenodes. Species in this genus are wood-borers whose larvae develop in dead branches of various host plants, particularly in the family Fabaceae. The genus Actenodes is distributed from the southwestern United States through Mexico and Central America, with several species exhibiting subtle morphological differences that require careful examination for proper identification. Some Actenodes species display striking sexually dimorphic facial coloration in males.
Actenodes flexicaulis
Actenodes flexicaulis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Schaeffer in 1904. It belongs to a genus of jewel beetles distributed across North America. Like other Actenodes species, it is presumed to develop as larvae in dead wood of woody host plants, though specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Actenodes mimicus
Actenodes mimicus is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Knull in 1964. It is found in North America, with collection records from the southwestern United States including New Mexico and Texas. Like other members of the genus Actenodes, it is associated with woody vegetation and has been collected by beating mesquite and other host plants.
Actenodes simi
Actenodes simi is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Fisher in 1940. It has been recorded from Tennessee and Missouri in the United States, with specimens collected by the predatory wasp Cerceris fumipennis. The species is part of the diverse jewel beetle fauna of North America, where it occurs as a relatively uncommon member of its genus.
Agrilaxia flavimana
Agrilaxia flavimana is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, distributed across Central America and North America. The genus Agrilaxia is one of several small genera of jewel beetles known to routinely visit flowers, though most Buprestidae are associated with woody vegetation. Observations suggest this species occurs in prairie and open habitats where its presumed floral hosts grow.