Buprestis rufipes

[58chevy]

This is one of my favorite N. American buprestids. They are widespread in range and not considered rare, but are seldom encountered. I don't know of anybody who knows a reliable method of capturing them. If you are aware of a good method, please respond here. They range in size from about 20mm to 35 mm.

[livingplanet3]

This is one of my favorite N. American buprestids. They are widespread in range and not considered rare, but are seldom encountered. I don't know of anybody who knows a reliable method of capturing them. If you are aware of a good method, please respond here. They range in size from about 20mm to 35 mm...

Very nice! I saw a mass emergence of this species from a standing dead cottonwood tree in 1985. Since then, I have only come across it incidentally. Certainly, one of the most impressive buprestids found in the US.

[58chevy]

Coincidentally, I know of another person who encountered a mass emergence of these from a dead tree. Not sure if it was a cottonwood or something else. He put about 50 of them in a jar and they tore each other to pieces.

[livingplanet3]

Coincidentally, I know of another person who encountered a mass emergence of these from a dead tree. Not sure if it was a cottonwood or something else. He put about 50 of them in a jar and they tore each other to pieces.

That's really unfortunate about them damaging each other; buprestid mandibles may be small, but they're likely strong enough to clip the thin, delicate legs and antennae typical of this family of beetles.