Comments on: BugFilter: What is this giant bug?

Question: BugFilter: What is this giant bug?

letterneversent — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 17:13:45 -0800

BugFilter: What is this bug? It was crawling around outside my apartment here in Austin and actually walked toward me whenever I would move, which creeped me the eff out. It's about two inches long and... just check out the photo. It was a slow and deliberate mover. I have to know what it is, and if I should keep a weapon nearby in case it comes back.

By: TimeFactor

TimeFactor — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 17:30:29 -0800

It looks like, and the description is compatible with, a borer beetle, family Cerambycidae (long-horned beetles) of which there are thousands of species so no idea which one. They (or their larvae) bore into trees or dead wood. The introduced Asian long-horned beetle is currently the source of panic here in the Northeast (but yours isn't one of them, although somewhat similar appearance). They're all completely harmless if you aren't made of wood.

By: nanojath

nanojath — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 18:08:40 -0800

I think it's a Cottonwood Borer, so TimeFactor is correct. And yes, it's harmless - it's not all that serious a pest even for trees.

http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/bimg177.html

By: jrossi4r

jrossi4r — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 18:16:13 -0800

I think TimeFactor has it. Closest thing in my handy-dandy field guide is a cottonwood borer.

By: jrossi4r

jrossi4r — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 18:17:06 -0800

Or what nanojath said...

By: letterneversent

letterneversent — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 18:38:01 -0800

Ah, the article says they emerge in June or July, so maybe he was just disoriented. He was moving a little awkwardly. Thanks for the help.

By: snsranch

snsranch — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 20:24:32 -0800

Tie a thread to it's leg and watch it fly around just like a june bug.