Trichocnemis spiculatus are among the largest insects in California and are part of the “long-horn beetle” group. Some wood boring beetle species can become significant pests and threaten forest ecosystems but most are crucial players in the recycling of downed and dead trees. Females use their large antennae to locate dead or dying conifers to lay their eggs in, the larvae eat, grow and burrow through the decomposing wood helping to cycle nutrients back into the soil.
