Parkinsonia
Guides
Acmaeodera acanthicola
Acmaeodera acanthicola is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by Barr in 1972 and occurs in Central America and North America. Adults have been recorded on Prosopis and Parkinsonia, while larvae develop in Celtis. Like other members of this large genus, it exhibits the characteristic jewel beetle morphology with metallic coloration.
Derobrachus hovorei
Palo Verde Root Borer, Palo Verde Beetle, Palo Verde Borer Beetle
Derobrachus hovorei is a large longhorn beetle native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It was formally described as a distinct species by Santos-Silva in 2007, having been previously confused with D. geminatus for over a century. Adults are among the largest beetles in North America, reaching up to 3.5 inches in length. The species is named for its larval association with palo verde trees (Parkinsonia spp.), though it has been observed feeding on roots of various other tree species in urban environments.
Penthobruchus
Penthobruchus is a genus of bruchine beetles (formerly placed in family Bruchidae, now subfamily Bruchinae within Chrysomelidae) established by Kingsolver in 1973. At least one species, Penthobruchus germaini, has been investigated as a biological control agent for the invasive tree Parkinsonia aculeata. The genus is poorly documented in public sources, with limited biological information available beyond host associations.
Penthobruchus germaini
Palo Verde seed beetle
Penthobruchus germaini is a seed beetle in the family Chrysomelidae (formerly placed in Bruchidae, now treated as the subfamily Bruchinae). It has been studied as a biological control agent for Parkinsonia aculeata, a woody legume invasive in rangelands. The species specializes on seeds of this host plant, with larvae developing inside pods.