Plectrodera scalator (Fabricius, 1792)

Chapman, Eric G., Richards, Austin B. & Dupuis, Julian R., 2023, The longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Kentucky with notes on larval hosts, adult nectar use, and semiochemical attraction, Zootaxa 5229 (1), pp. 1-89 : 49

Plectrodera scalator (Fabricius, 1792) ; Lamiini “cottonwood borer”

Distribution: MI to south FL to AZ to NE. Kentucky collections are concentrated along the Ohio River in the far western counties (both Mississippi ecoregions; Map 145).

Kentucky counties: Ballard (7), Carlisle (1), Fulton (2), Hickman (1)

Years: 1942 (1), 1986 (6), 2011 (1), 2013 (1), 2018 (1), 2021 (1)

Months: June (6), July (2), August (3)

Collections (6 records, 11 specimens): UKIC (7), iNat (4)

Collection methods: Reared from Populus (6)

Larval host plants: Populus spp. and Salix spp. ( Monné & Nearns 2022d) where the larvae mine in the roots ( Forschler & Nordin 1991)

Comments: A large, zebra-patterned, diurnal species most easily collected by hand from cottonwood and willow trees which usually grow on the banks of larger streams and rivers where adults appear to prefer feeding on the leaves of saplings. Large populations can have serious impacts on nursery trees ( Solomon 1980).