Juniper-specialist
Guides
Chrysina gloriosa
glorious beetle, glorious scarab, Glorious Jewel Scarab
Chrysina gloriosa is a metallic green scarab beetle renowned for its striking iridescent appearance. Adults measure 20–30 mm in length and display bright green elytra with silver longitudinal stripes, though rare red and purple color forms occur. The species inhabits sky island mountain ranges in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where adults feed primarily on juniper foliage and larvae develop in decaying wood of Arizona sycamore. Active both diurnally and nocturnally, adults are most frequently encountered from June through August and are strongly attracted to ultraviolet light sources. The beetle's structural coloration arises from cholesteric liquid crystal organization of chitin molecules in the cuticle, producing optical properties that change with light incidence angle.
Coleotechnites gibsonella
common juniper leafminer
Coleotechnites gibsonella is a small gelechiid moth commonly known as the common juniper leafminer. It is restricted to northeastern North America where its larvae are specialized feeders on common juniper. The species is notable for its distinctive larval behavior of mining and binding juniper needles with silk to create protected feeding chambers.
Coleotechnites occidentis
Coleotechnites occidentis is a small gelechiid moth described by Freeman in 1965. The species is known from western North America, with records from British Columbia, Canada. Adults have a wingspan of 9–11 mm. Larvae are leaf and stem miners that feed on Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum).
Styloxus bicolor
Red-necked Juniper Borer
Styloxus bicolor is a longhorn beetle (family Cerambycidae) native to western North America. It was described by Champlain and Knull in 1922. The species is commonly known as the Red-necked Juniper Borer and has been documented as a specialist on juniper hosts, particularly Juniperus monosperma. Its life history has been studied in northern Arizona, where it develops as a wood-borer in living juniper trees.
Thera juniperata
Juniper Carpet
Thera juniperata, commonly known as the Juniper Carpet, is a moth species in the family Geometridae. It occurs throughout Europe and the Near East, with records also from North America. The species is considered uncommon and locally distributed, primarily due to its specialized larval dependence on juniper as a food source. Adults are active in late autumn, with the species exhibiting a single generation per year.