Buprestidae

Buprestidae: Jewel Beetles

Chrysobothris costifrons

Cuyamaca Woods, North Peak, Cuyamaca Mountains

This individual flew into my garage when I was painting a shed roof. The month was October.

Two individuals of this species were found on my property. They are not native to the area.

Likely Chrysobothris mali

Cuyamaca Woods, North Peak, Cuyamaca Mountains

This individual was beaten from Ceanothus sp. in May.

Acmaeodera connexa

Engineers Road, North Peak, Cuyamaca Mountains

This individual found with two other Acmaeodera species, A. hepburnii and A. retifera on Golden Yarrow

Acmaeodera connexa

Engineers Road, North Peak, Cuyamaca Mountains

Acmaeodera hepburnii

Cuyamaca Woods, North Peak, Cuyamaca Mountains

Acmaeodera hepburnii

Mating pair
Cuyamaca Woods, North Peak, Cuyamaca Mountains

Chrysophana placida

Cuyamaca Woods, North Peak, Cuyamaca Mountains

This beetle was found alive in my house (January 2016), upside down floating in the cat's water bowl. My best guess is that it came in on firewood. The odd thing is that we do have Jeffrey Pine (one of this species' hosts) in the area, but no firewood from these pines has been in the house in years. The firewood was mostly manzanita and oak wood, from dead trees on our property dating back to the 2003 Cedar Fire. There was a small amount of untreated scrap wood from old construction projects amongst the firewood also - likely Douglas fir, another host. So the exact origin of this beetle is unclear.

Chrysophana placida

Cuyamaca Woods, North Peak, Cuyamaca Mountains

This is the same individual described above.

Polycesta crypta

Cuyamaca Woods, North Peak, Cuyamaca Mountains

Found on dirt road in late afternoon.