Beetle - Ask Extension
I believe I have a Sawyer Beetle. Is it friend or foe?
Thanks, Jill
Knowledgebase
Beetle #885555
Asked September 17, 2024, 11:50 AM EDT
I believe I have a Sawyer Beetle. Is it friend or foe?
Thanks, Jill
Clackamas County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Jill and thanks for the picture of your long-horned beetle. Yes, I think you have correctly identified a White-spotted Sawyer beetle. They lay eggs in dead or dying trees so not really a pest. In fact, they help with nutrient recycling in the forest as their larvae help decompose the tree. Loggers don't really like them, but then they don't really like loggers who take down their dying trees and manage the forest so there aren't so many available. They are native and a really fun beetle to see with those long, long antennae!