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White-spotted Sawyer

Monochamus scutellatus

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of White-spotted Sawyer (Monochamus scutellatus)

The White-spotted Sawyer is a large, black longhorned beetle with a single white spot on its scutellum and variable white flecks across its elytra; males have antennae twice their body length. It is a major secondary decomposer of recently dead conifers after fire or storm events. The rasping sound made by larvae chewing through sapwood is audible at a distance.

Habitat
Boreal conifer forests, especially recently burned or logged areas
Diet
Larvae: sapwood of dead pines and firs. Adults: bark of young conifers
How common
Common

Best time to see a White-spotted Sawyer

The best time to see a White-spotted Sawyer is June–July, when about 74% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 14,036 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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