Megacyllene robiniae (Forster, 1771)

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 : 19-20

Megacyllene robiniae (Forster, 1771) ; Chlorophorini “locust borer”

Distribution: NB to GA to NV to WA. Kentucky records of this abundant species are statewide (Map 099).

Kentucky counties: Allen (1), Barren (1), Bath (1), Bourbon (1), Boyd (2), Boyle (1), Breathitt (1), Calloway (1), Campbell (3), Carroll (1), Casey (1), Clark (2), Clinton (1), Fayette (156), Franklin (4), Garrard (1), Graves (1), Hardin (3), Harrison (1), Hart (2), Henderson (1), Henry (1), Hickman (3), Jefferson (75), Johnson (2), Kenton (2), Letcher (1), Lincoln (2), Madison (13), McCracken (1), Meade (2), Mercer (3), Nelson (1), Oldham (1), Pike (1), Powell (1), Rockcastle (1), Rowan (1), Scott (3), Shelby (3), Warren (5), Wayne (6), Woodford (4)

Years: 1889 (12), 1891 (8), 1892 (3), 1894 (1), 1902 (1), 1914 (99), 1915 (8), 1916 (5), 1919 (5), 1920 (1), 1921 (1), 1929 (2), 1931 (1), 1933 (3), 1934 (1), 1938 (1), 1940 (1), 1941 (2), 1948 (3), 1949 (2), 1951 (2), 1952 (2), 1957 (1), 1958 (2), 1961 (6), 1964 (4), 1965 (17), 1966 (3), 1968 (1), 1970 (2), 1971 (1), 1973 (2), 1974 (4), 1975 (16), 1977 (14), 1979 (7), 1980 (3), 1981 (7), 1982 (3), 1984 (1), 2002 (1), 2003 (1), 2004 (2), 2006 (1), 2009 (1), 2011 (7), 2014 (1), 2015 (3), 2016 (1), 2017 (3), 2018 (2), 2019 (3), 2020 (18), 2021 (16)

Months: April (1), June (1), July (1), August (6), September (231), October (75), November (2)

Collections (171 records, 320 specimens): ABRC (5), AMBC (2), BG (3), CMNH (4), EGCCRC (2), UKIC (251), WKUC (10), XEUC (3), iNat (40)

Collection methods: Flowers: Solidago (30), Tagetes erecta (1); dug out of Robinia pseudoacacia (3)

Larval host plants: Living Robinia pseudoacacia ( Hopkins 1906)

Adult flower hosts: Solidago

Comments: Adults can be found abundantly in the fall on goldenrod blossoms.

Methia tenuipes (Haldeman, 1846) ; Methiini [new state record]

Taxonomic note: This species was recently moved from Tessaropa to Methia ( Bezark & Santos-Silva 2019) .

Distribution: PA to FL to eastern TX and KS. Kentucky specimens were collected in the central part of the state ( Interior Plateau ; Map 101).

Kentucky counties: Henry (1), Powell (2), Warren (1)

Years: 2011 (1), 2014 (1), 2015 (2)

Months: May (3), June (1)

Collections (3 records, 4 specimens): BG (1), EGCCRC (3)

Collection methods: Blacklight (2)

Larval host plants: Carya , Castanea dentata , Cercis canadensis , Fagus grandiflora , Juglans nigra , Prunus and Quercus ( Linsley & Chemsak 1997)

Comments: Adults of this uncommonly collected species are attracted to lights. Kentucky specimens were collected with blacklights. Beating Vitis has also yielded specimens ( Lingafelter 2007).