Bug Identifier
Longhorn beetle (likely a prionid root borer)
Community identification

Longhorn beetle (likely a prionid root borer)

Prionus sp. (species uncertain from image)

Order & Family
Coleoptera; Cerambycidae
Size
Typically 25–75 mm long, excluding the antennae; this specimen appears roughly 45–55 mm.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Woodlands, forest edges, orchards, and areas with dead or stressed hardwoods; adults may appear around lights at night.

Diet & Feeding

Larvae feed inside roots, stumps, and buried or decaying hardwood, sometimes damaging living trees. Adults generally feed little or may consume sap, foliage, or bark.

Behavior Patterns

Adults are mostly nocturnal and have extremely long, segmented antennae; males often fly to lights. Larvae develop underground for several years before pupating and emerging as adults.

Risks & Benefits

Harmless to people and not venomous, though it can pinch if handled. Larvae help decompose wood but may weaken or kill orchard, landscape, and forest trees.