I learned that there are twenty-six species of milkweed longhorn beetles (Tetraopes spp.) and up to fifteen of those are in the US. I found references to three species where Ms. Mesquitey and I were traipsing around in the Chiricahua Mountains. The beetle I saw and photographed on Lemmon’s milkweed (Asclepias lemmonii) is Tetraopes femoratus or the red femured milkweed borer…cute red thighs on their beetle legs. Oh, the color of this beetle, red with some black spots gives you a chance to use the word aposematic, meaning; inedible or yech!
And, I’m pretty excited about the fact that this beetle makes “a shrill noise” when startled and also read that they make a “purring noise when interacting with another beetle.” Whoa, how cool is that? Very! I need to make sure my hearing aids are turned onto the “listen to beetles” setting. (yes, hearing aids…too many years of my youth on stage in honky tonks)
The photos are mine. You knew that.
