WOOD BORING LONGHORN BEETLE
Necydalis mellita
LONGHORN BEETLES (Cerambycidae)
Description
This beetle is about 3/4 inch long. It is colored black and red and mimics a wasp with short wing covers and elongate body. It has antenna longer than the body.
Occurrence
This beetle is found on foliage and around woodpiles. Its overall occurrence at Fontenelle Forest is not known.
Comments
The very long and slender body, its coloration , the short elytra, exposing the wings and the constricted pronotum of beetles in this genus are an instance of Batesian mimicry. Batesian mimicry is a form of mimicry typified by a situation where a harmless species (e.g.beetle) has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species (e.g. wasp) directed at a common predator.
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