Sampling of Florida Cerambycidae
Feb 21, 2021 16:08:41 GMT -8
bugboys3, jshuey, and 1 more like this
Post by bandrow on Feb 21, 2021 16:08:41 GMT -8
Greetings,
Greetings!
As requested over in the thread about encounters in the field, I’m adding some images of some Cerambycidae that I collected during two trips to the Florida Keys back in the 1990’s. In August of 1992, the historic Hurricane Andrew hit the southern tip of Florida and northern end of Key Largo. In June of 1993, we got permits to collect in the Keys and found the perfect situation that we’d hoped for – lots of dead and dying trees and branches all over the place. Collecting was so good that we got permits to collect there again in 1994.
Between the two trips, I was able to collect nearly a synoptic set of the species that occur in the Keys. Not only was the species diversity exceptional, the numbers of individuals was really high for many species. The most interesting part was that the species cohorts from one year to the next was different and complemented each other. What was common in 1993 was uncommon or missing in 1994, and vice versa, although we did get only singletons of species over both trips. Between the two trips, there were only a handful of species known from there that I didn’t collect.
I’ve added some comments about each of the species I’ve imaged to give some background. Here goes, and enjoy!
Stenodontes chevrolati – This is the largest ‘bycid in the Keys and most came to lights, but a few were taken under the bark of dead gumbo limbo.
Stenodontes chevrolati
Elateropsis scabrosa – This cool prionine is diurnal, and acts a lot like a species of Buprestidae. I found them running on tree trunks, sunning on foliage, and in flight during the heat of the day. They are fast, and keep the antennae flickering like a wasp as they move.
Elateropsis scabrosa
Elaphidion cryptum – This species and the similar Elaphidion irroratum were common, taken both at lights and by beating. The E. cryptum were in hardwoods while the E. irroratum were more common beating dead branches of mangrove at low tide.
Elaphidion cryptum
Eleutho stroheckeri – This beautiful species came to lights. The amazing male specimen on the bottom right was given to me by a friend in Alabama. The size variation in this species is pretty remarkable (I need to update a header label, I see!)
Eleutho stroheckeri
Heterops dimidiatus – This was one of the rarer species we collected by beating the living foliage of pigeon plum. I’ve heard from other collectors that it only occurs sporadically in the Keys from one season to the next.
Heterops dimidiatus
Eburia stigma – These came to light, but the majority were taken beating dead branches. When you attempt to pick one up, they freeze with all the legs folded with the femora straight out from the body. The result is really sharp femoral spines becoming defensive structures - I had more than one pierce the skin of my fingers while picking them off the beating sheet.
Eburia stigma
Lagocheirus araneiformis stroheckeri – These were very common on dead trunks and logs of decayed gumbo limbo
Lagocheirus araneiformis stroheckeri
Plinthocoelium suaveolens suaveolens – This beauty was present on both trips, but I only caught them during the second. During the first trip, I saw a dozen or so, but all were flying 20’ in the air and moving at what seemed like 50 mph. I got one swing at a resting specimen – only to discover that my net had hung up on a branch behind me and was hanging in a tree as I completed my swing empty-handed. I swear I heard that beetle laughing as it flew off. On the second trip I was prepared for them – I took fermenting sugar bait traps and caught a few specimens. They are pretty in the Keys - more of a lime green as can be seen in the five specimens in the bottom row – the darker specimens above them are from peninsular Florida and north.
Plinthocoelium suaveolens suaveolens
Greetings!
As requested over in the thread about encounters in the field, I’m adding some images of some Cerambycidae that I collected during two trips to the Florida Keys back in the 1990’s. In August of 1992, the historic Hurricane Andrew hit the southern tip of Florida and northern end of Key Largo. In June of 1993, we got permits to collect in the Keys and found the perfect situation that we’d hoped for – lots of dead and dying trees and branches all over the place. Collecting was so good that we got permits to collect there again in 1994.
Between the two trips, I was able to collect nearly a synoptic set of the species that occur in the Keys. Not only was the species diversity exceptional, the numbers of individuals was really high for many species. The most interesting part was that the species cohorts from one year to the next was different and complemented each other. What was common in 1993 was uncommon or missing in 1994, and vice versa, although we did get only singletons of species over both trips. Between the two trips, there were only a handful of species known from there that I didn’t collect.
I’ve added some comments about each of the species I’ve imaged to give some background. Here goes, and enjoy!
Stenodontes chevrolati – This is the largest ‘bycid in the Keys and most came to lights, but a few were taken under the bark of dead gumbo limbo.
Stenodontes chevrolati
Elateropsis scabrosa – This cool prionine is diurnal, and acts a lot like a species of Buprestidae. I found them running on tree trunks, sunning on foliage, and in flight during the heat of the day. They are fast, and keep the antennae flickering like a wasp as they move.
Elateropsis scabrosa
Elaphidion cryptum – This species and the similar Elaphidion irroratum were common, taken both at lights and by beating. The E. cryptum were in hardwoods while the E. irroratum were more common beating dead branches of mangrove at low tide.
Elaphidion cryptum
Eleutho stroheckeri – This beautiful species came to lights. The amazing male specimen on the bottom right was given to me by a friend in Alabama. The size variation in this species is pretty remarkable (I need to update a header label, I see!)
Eleutho stroheckeri
Heterops dimidiatus – This was one of the rarer species we collected by beating the living foliage of pigeon plum. I’ve heard from other collectors that it only occurs sporadically in the Keys from one season to the next.
Heterops dimidiatus
Eburia stigma – These came to light, but the majority were taken beating dead branches. When you attempt to pick one up, they freeze with all the legs folded with the femora straight out from the body. The result is really sharp femoral spines becoming defensive structures - I had more than one pierce the skin of my fingers while picking them off the beating sheet.
Eburia stigma
Lagocheirus araneiformis stroheckeri – These were very common on dead trunks and logs of decayed gumbo limbo
Lagocheirus araneiformis stroheckeri
Plinthocoelium suaveolens suaveolens – This beauty was present on both trips, but I only caught them during the second. During the first trip, I saw a dozen or so, but all were flying 20’ in the air and moving at what seemed like 50 mph. I got one swing at a resting specimen – only to discover that my net had hung up on a branch behind me and was hanging in a tree as I completed my swing empty-handed. I swear I heard that beetle laughing as it flew off. On the second trip I was prepared for them – I took fermenting sugar bait traps and caught a few specimens. They are pretty in the Keys - more of a lime green as can be seen in the five specimens in the bottom row – the darker specimens above them are from peninsular Florida and north.
Plinthocoelium suaveolens suaveolens
