About Longicorn Beetles

Longicorn or long-horned beetles are often characterised by long antennae, often as long as or longer than the body. Worldwide it is a large family with some classified as pests due to their wood-boring habits. A number of species mimic ants, bees, and wasps. Many are cryptically coloured. Peter Chew notes that Longicorn Beetles are called sky cow beetles in Chinese because they have a face that looks like a cow when viewed from the front. For more information about Longicorn Beetles refer to Brisbane Insects and Spiders.

Chlorophorus curtisi

This adult longicorn Chlorophorus curtisi, about 12 mm in length, was observed wandering on a citrus tree in a pot in a suburban garden in The Gap Brisbane. It has a bold pattern of distinctive yellow-and-black markings. 

Photo: Robert Whyte

Fig Longicorn Beetle

Fig Longicorn Beetle Acalolepta vastator is a brown longicorn beetle with sharp knobs on the front part of forewings and another two sharp points on it thorax. Its antenna are 1.5 times its body length which is around 21 mm. Adults can be seen between October and March. Larvae live inside tree trunks. It feeds on White Fig Ficus virens, Papaya Carica papaya and Grape Vine Vitis vinifera. Dr Andrew Loch, Viticulture Entomologist, National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Wagga Wagga writes: “The fig longicorn borer has become a major pest of grapevines in a small area of the Lower Hunter. … Females lay eggs in fissures or cracks in the grapevine bark or near the base of canes. Larvae hatch and bore into the vine wood and can tunnel throughout the trunk and into roots. … Fig longicorn borer can cause extensive damage to the vine trunk, which can lead to dieback and significant crop losses.”

Photo: Robert Whyte

Photo: Robert Whyte

Tiger Longicorn

This Tiger Longicorn Aridaeus thoracicus was resting on the leaf of a Wild Tobacco Solanum mauritianum. It is common in Brisbane Gardens. Tiger Longicorn has orange and black patterns, the femur of each leg is swollen in the middle. Orange hairs may be noticed on the legs and thorax. In the warmer months, adults are seen on flowering plants, feeding on the pollen and nectar, particularly those in the Myrtle family. Larvae feed on dead wood of a variety of trees.

Photo: Robert Whyte

Photo: Robert Whyte

Face. Photo: Robert Whyte

Bamboo Borer

Bamboo Borer Chlorophorus annularis is a native of Asia. It can be a pest in bamboo. This specimen has lost its antennae. The larvae tunnel through the nodes of bamboo stems and generally in sugarcane. Adults are 10-16 mm. They can sometimes emerge from bamboo furniture.

Photo: Robert Whyte

Common Eucalypt Longicorn Beetle

Common Eucalypt Longicorn Beetle Coptocercus vicinus is an Australian native beetle which has become a major pest of Eucalyptus plantations throughout the world. Their larvae is the Eucalyptus Borer which damages the wood.

Photo: Robert Whyte

Rhytiphora bakewelli

Photo: Robert Whyte