About Trichocnemis spiculatus LeConte, 1851
Trichocnemis spiculatus LeConte, 1851 has several common names: pine sawyer, western pine sawyer, spined woodborer, and ponderosa pine borer. One recognized taxonomic synonym for this species is Ergates spiculatus. This is the largest species of wood boring beetle found in Colorado. Its natural range spans Western North America. The species develops in fallen ponderosa pines and Douglas firs. As larvae, they feed on the wood of dead and dying pines, with main host plants being ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Adults lay their eggs in bark crevices of these host trees. After hatching, larvae bore tunnels through both the sapwood and heartwood of the trees. The species has a life cycle that lasts several years.
