Insects and Spiders - native

California Prionus Beetle (Prionus californicus) on Jul 22, 2024

Submitter does not have a specimen

Description of specimen

Found the beetle crawling around by tomato plants I have l in buckets on my back porch around 10:30 at night ita about 3.5 inches long caught it and did a image search

Commentary

Thank you for your report! The image is very dark, but from the details that I can see I think you have our native California Prionus, or Prionus root borer. They are not pests or tree-killers. They breed in rotting conifer stumps and logs.

Tom Valente
July 23, 2024, 1 a.m.