# Golden Buprestid Beetle (*Buprestis aurulenta*) The Golden Buprestid Beetle is a shiny, golden insect that loves to hide in trees. It has a beautiful metallic color that sparkles in the sunlight, making it a special little creature to find in nature. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Golden Buprestid Beetle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Golden_Buprestid_%2814881767118%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golden_Buprestid_%2814881767118%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Golden Buprestid Beetle is a dazzling insect, famous for its brilliant, metallic, golden-green to coppery-red body that shimmers in the light. Its elongated, flattened shape and iridescent shell make it look like a living jewel, distinctly different from duller forest beetles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Buprestidae - **Genus:** Buprestis ## Interesting facts - Females sniff out burnt or damaged trees using special sensors to lay their eggs. - Its larvae can eat wood so quickly, you can sometimes hear them chewing inside logs! - They can even be tricked by solar panels, mistaking them for water to drink! - This beetle holds a record for emerging from furniture after an incredible 28 years! ## Special abilities - **Shimmer Shield:** Golden Buprestid Beetles have a dazzling, iridescent shell that helps them camouflage among sunlit leaves and bark, making them harder for predators to spot. - **Heat Armor:** Golden Buprestid Beetle larvae can withstand extreme heat because of their special physiology that helps them survive in sun-baked, decaying wood. - **Tunnel Architects:** Golden Buprestid Beetle larvae can tunnel deep into wood because of powerful mandibles that help them create intricate galleries for feeding and development. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 30-45 mm - **Size:** 15-22 mm - **Lifespan:** 730-3650 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip nectar and tree sap, while their amazing larvae munch on dead conifer wood! - **Age differences:** Larvae bore into and feed on dead conifer wood, while adults feed on tree sap and nectar. - **Primary Foods:** dead conifer wood, tree sap, nectar, pollen - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — Larvae bore into and feed on its dead wood. - **Eats:** Ponderosa Pine (*Pinus ponderosa*) — Primary food source for larvae in dead wood. - **Eaten by:** [Hairy Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hairy-woodpecker) (*Picoides villosus*) — Woodpeckers extract larvae from dead trees. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be gentle and watch where you step in nature to protect tiny creatures like beetles. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Golden Buprestid Beetle? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Golden Buprestid Beetle's wingspan? 30-45 mm ### How big is Golden Buprestid Beetle? 15-22 mm ### How long does Golden Buprestid Beetle live? 730-3650 days ### How fast can Golden Buprestid Beetle fly? 15 km/h ### What does Golden Buprestid Beetle eat? Adults sip nectar and tree sap, while their amazing larvae munch on dead conifer wood! ### Where is Golden Buprestid Beetle usually found? Forests ### How does Golden Buprestid Beetle hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Lower Cushman Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lower-cushman-dam) — Washington, US · Historic Site - [Sun Pass State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sun-pass-state-forest) — Oregon, US · Forest - [Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rathtrevor-beach-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Gabriola Sands Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gabriola-sands-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Golden Buprestid Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/golden-buprestid-beetle) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Golden Buprestid Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-buprestid-beetle)