Longhorn beetle

Description:

This very large beetle was found in my garage this afternoon. Sadly it is not shown in its natural habitat.

Habitat:

All Prionus longhorned beetle species develop in the larval stage as root borers. However, there is a considerable range in the host plants that are used. Some are grassland species that develop on roots of grasses, such as P. palparis, P. fissicornis, and P. emarginatus. Rangeland shrubs such as rabbitbrush and sage appear to be the hosts for P. integer. The widest range of plant hosts occurs with P. californicus (California prionus), which feeds on roots of woody plants including serviceberry, sumac, pines, fir, Douglas-fir, stone fruits, oak, willows and poplars/cottonwoods. Adults can occur during the most of the warmer months of the year. However, at least some of the grassland species may show sharp spikes in adult abundance, with heavy rainfall events triggering adult emergence. After mating females insert eggs into soil, using the extensible ovipositor at the tip of her abdomen, depositing the eggs in small groups a few centimeters below ground. Upon egg hatch the larvae move to plant roots where they feed and grow for a period of 3 to 5 years before becoming full grown. Pupation occurs within a soil chamber dug out near the root