Posted by sarah pletcher on July 27, 2008

Q: My son found this insect outside our wooded New Hampshire home. I think it must be related to the grasshopper family- I think it may have left a 'tobacco juice' stain on my sons hand.

It had some spiderweb caught in its antennae, my son gently untangled them for the second picture...

State: New Hampshire

Habitat: forest/open woods

A: I commend your son's effort to help, not squash, your great insect! Your beetle is a member of the family of Long-horned Beetles (Cerambycidae). This is one of my favorite families since they're so interesting looking and some can be quite colorful. I can't tell you the species you found but it appears that it is one of the Sawyers in the genus Monochamus and very likely could be Monochamus notatus, the Northeastern Sawyer.

The antennae of the males can be as much as twice the length of their body (females have shorter antennae) so it appears that your beetle was a male. The tobacco juice left on your son's hand is a common defense with some insects - spilling stomach contents can be used to discourage predation. Your description about an insect that resembles an "antelope" is a good one and whoever named this family was also focused on their huge antennae too. Here's a photo of the Northeastern Sawyer for you to check out: www.uvm.edu

Thanks to you and your son for asking.

John Wiessinger ( July 28, 2008)