"More than YOU want to know?
Jumping Bristletails (Microcoryphia aka Archaeognatha) are a common but often overlooked type of primitive insect. This was apparently a successful design as it has not changed very much since some point during the Devonian era.
Bristletails have a single feeding palp rather than a pair of them.
This one was encountered in late October 2015.
Monochamus scutellatus
AKA Spotted Pine Sawyer
Monochamus scutellatus
Monochamus scutellatus
Monochamus scutellatus
Monochamus scutellatus
Monochamus scutellatus
Monochamus scutellatus
Monochamus scutellatus
Fungus beetles
A member of the “pleasing fungus beetles” or the Erotylidae.
The name is derived (Latinized) from the Greek word erotulos, ἐρωτύλος
Meaning Little Darlings or Sweethearts — in some sort of a reference to the beauty of some gem stones.
In the case of our ‘Little Darlings’ the color scheme is described as ferrugineous and piceous. (Rusty and pitch colored.)
As is common for a lot of beetles like this, these often play dead when disturbed.
The images showing a scale bar are slightly flattened due to the weight of the scale. A microscope reticle was used in which 20 units is 1 mm.
The genus is Camponotus but I don’t know the species.
The ants pictured are the remnants after the removal of their colony from an insulated ceiling. They were quite happy to excavate rigid foam.
Zarhipis integripennis
Western Banded Glowworm
Zarhipis integripennis
Zarhipis integripennis
Zarhipis integripennis
Zarhipis integripennis
Zarhipis integripennis
Zarhipis integripennis
This Peltis species is one of the “bark beetles”
Peltis pippingskoeldi beetles excavatiing a conk.
Peltis pippingskoeldi eating a conk.
These like to “play dead” when they get disturbed. I was initially puzzled wondering why I was finding only dead ones.
Peltis pippingskoeldi
Leave them alone and they come back to life pretty fast.
Their chosen conk; a young Fomitopsis pinicola
Peltis pippingskoeldi starting some two level excavations on that conk.
Peltis pippingskoeldi
Peltis pippingskoeldi
Peltis pippingskoeldi
Peltis pippingskoeldi
Peltis pippingskoeldi
Peltis pippingskoeldi
I am believing that these next ones are some sort of beetle larvae (based on their body and the configuration of antennae).
Another conk with beetle larvae
beetle larvae
beetle larvae
beetle larvae
Buprestis aurulenta is also known as the Golden Buprestid Beetle.
This one is dead.
Buprestis aurulenta the Golden Buprestid Beetle
Platyceroides agassii
These small beetles play dead when they are disturbed.
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Platyceroides agassii
Prionus californicus is the California root borer.
Prionus californicus on a 2×4.
Prionus californicus
