# Spined Woodborer (*Trichocnemis spiculatus*)

The Spined Woodborer is a unique beetle that loves to live in trees. It has special spines on its body that help it blend in with the bark, making it hard to spot!

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Spined Woodborer](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Trichocnemis_spiculatus.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Ryan Bavetta, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trichocnemis_spiculatus.jpg)

## Appearance

The Spined Woodborer is a robust, dark brown to black beetle with a somewhat flattened body. Its most distinctive feature is the pair of sharp, prominent spines on each side of its thorax, giving it a formidable look.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Coleoptera
- **Family:** Cerambycidae
- **Genus:** Trichocnemis

## Interesting facts

- Adult beetles can make squeaking sounds by rubbing body parts together to warn predators.
- Some Spined Woodborer larvae live inside wood for many years before becoming an adult beetle!
- Sometimes, adult beetles are attracted to bright lights at night, even though they mostly fly during the day!
- This beetle helps recycle nutrients by turning dead trees into soil faster.

## Special abilities

- **Wood-Digesting Power:** Spined Woodborer larvae can chew and digest tough dead wood because of special gut microbes that help break it down.
- **Spiky Defense:** The Spined Woodborer has sharp spines on its thorax that help deter predators by making it uncomfortable to eat.
- **Vibration Sense:** Spined Woodborers can detect tiny vibrations in wood, which helps them find suitable trees for laying eggs.

## Measurements & details

- **Size:** 15-30 mm
- **Lifespan:** 730-1095 days
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

Larvae munch on dead wood, while adult beetles might sip on tree sap or pollen.

- **Age differences:** Larvae consume dead wood, while adults primarily feed on sap and pollen.
- **Primary Foods:** dead conifer wood, tree sap, pollen
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** Ponderosa Pine (*Pinus ponderosa*) — Larvae tunnel and feed in its dead wood.
- **Eats:** Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — Its larvae bore into and consume dead wood.
- **Eaten by:** [Hairy Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hairy-woodpecker) (*Picoides villosus*) — Woodpeckers drill into trees to find its larvae.

## 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.
- [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
- [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [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.
- [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Be careful when exploring trees; watch out for sharp branches!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Spined Woodborer?

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.

### How big is Spined Woodborer?

15-30 mm

### How long does Spined Woodborer live?

730-1095 days

### What does Spined Woodborer eat?

Larvae munch on dead wood, while adult beetles might sip on tree sap or pollen.

### Where is Spined Woodborer usually found?

Forests

### How does Spined Woodborer hunt?

Foraging

### How many legs does Spined Woodborer have?

6

## Where to spot

- [San Mateo Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-mateo-arboretum) — California, US · Botanical Garden
- [CuriOdyssey](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/curiodyssey) — California, US · Zoo

## 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*)

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Source: [Spined Woodborer: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spined-woodborer)