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Project Noah Nature School
Prionus californicus
The members of this genus are large (25–70 mm) and usually brown or black. All members of the genus Prionus have twelve or more strongly toothed or even flabellate antennomeres on their large antennae. Common North American species include the "Tile-horned Prionus", Prionus imbricornis, the "California root borer", Prionus californicus, and the "Broad-necked root borer", Prionus laticollis.
I found this guy inside my car and then bumped him out onto the ground. This one was about 3 inches long but I've seen them at 4 inches. They are primarily red/orange, have long, pointy antennae, can fly, as you can see by those chompers, bite something painfully fierce, come out only at night, and make loud, ear splitting and scraping ree-ree-ree-ree sounds. I call them "Devil Beetles."
Wow thanks so much everyone for the comments and suggestions! Lauren, it sounds like you've experienced one before? Looks nasty. And Karen, they should try again! I love that place.
My parents almost bought a lot in bodega bay - can you guess they've been kicking themselves for not doing so, ever since?
I think it's a California root borer. Although 4" seems slightly larger than what I'm reading. It's definitely a longhorn beetle of some kind.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/18548
Spotted on Jun 29, 2013
Submitted on Jun 30, 2013
