Insect · GBIF taxon 1132185
Coastal Huisache Girdler
Oncideres pustulataAlso known as Huisache Girdler
Adult females execute precise botanical engineering by chewing a deep, uniform groove around living branches of mesquite, leadtree, and huisache until the limb dies. They deposit eggs beyond this girdled incision, ensuring the wood cures and dries out to provide the specific moisture conditions required by tunneling larvae. Cryptically mottled adults rest motionless against textured bark during hot days and become active flyers after nightfall, often attracted to nearby artificial lighting.
NocturnalWood-boringCamouflaged
1 / 4—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sweet Acacia
- Honey Mesquite
- White Leadtree
Predators
- Downy Woodpecker
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker
- Assassin Bugs
ThreatsBroad-spectrum insecticide use, prolonged hard freezes, and localized clearing of scrub and woodland.
HabitatsSemi-arid thornscrub, coastal brushlands, open savannas, and suburban landscapes containing native legumes.
Life span1 year
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderColeoptera
- FamilyCerambycidae
- GenusOncideres
- SpeciesOncideres pustulata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Inspecting fallen limbs: Search under mesquite or huisache trees in late autumn for neatly severed branches on the ground.
- Nighttime observation: Check white walls or sheets illuminated by porch lights in semi-arid scrub habitats.
Host Plant (c) Todd Boland, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Todd Boland · cc-by
Host Plant Don A.W. Carlson / CC BY 2.5 · cc-by
Predator (c) John Rosford, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Laura Gaudette, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Laura Gaudette · cc-by
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