Pseudopilema hoppingi – Oak Twig Pruner

Adult: 13mm.

Order Coleoptera/ Family Cerambycidae/ Tribe Hyboderinae – Twig Longhorn Beetles

The beetles apparently begin their flights in March as evidenced in the pheremone traps. The one species of its genus, Pseudopilema hoppingi occurs from California to Oregon where it is hosted in the larval stage by various species of oaks. Quercus dumosa, scrub oak, is its larval host plant at the Reserve, and probably along with several other kinds of Longhorn Beetles and borers. Look for the little adults visiting the flowers of Ceanothus verrucosus, the warty-stemmed lilac during the spring months. 

 A close relative of this beetle is the beautiful Lampropterus cyanipennis, from our local mountains. It is hosted by the white-flowered Ceanothus palmeri which is commonly seen near the summit of Mt.Laguna along Sunrise Highway. Watch for these hovering over the flowers of its host in spring and early summer.