# Hardwood Stump Borer

*Mallodon dasystomus*

The massive grubs of this species can live and tunnel inside a single log for up to three years before emerging as adults.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Cerambycidae › Mallodon
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Hardwood forests, woodlands, and orchards containing dead or dying deciduous trees.
- **Diet:** Larvae feed on dead and decaying hardwood; adults feed minimally on tree sap.
- **Range:** North America, Central America, Caribbean
- **Size:** 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inches) in length
- **Lifespan:** 2-3 years (mostly in larval stage; adults live only a few weeks)
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Removal of dead wood and snags from forests, and widespread pesticide use.
- **Safe to approach?:** This beetle is harmless to humans but possesses powerful mandibles that can deliver a painful pinch if handled carelessly. Observe them safely without picking them up. If bitten, wash the area with soap and water to prevent secondary infection; they are non-venomous.

## About

Mallodon dasystomus , the hardwood stump borer , is a species of long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It is found in Central America, North America, and South America.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/1053ba8a-9f78-4d15-ba05-d97a5c68149b
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/269875
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallodon dasystomus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/503018332/medium.jpg (Dan Vickers, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.