Texas Beetle Information

Return to Texas Entomology - Compiled by Mike Quinn

Red-legged Buprestis

Buprestis rufipes Olivier, 1790

Family Buprestidae, Subfamily Buprestinae, Tribe Buprestini

Big Creek Scenic Area, Sam Houston National Forest
San Jacinto County, Texas - July 5, 2007 (Martin Reid)

Texas County Records for Buprestis rufipes

County Record Source: E.G. Riley, July 2007

Range: Eastern U.S. to central Texas.

Adult Activity: Mostly June to August

Larval Hosts:

Acer - Maple
Fagus - Beech
Nyssa sylvatica - Blackgum
Quercus - Oak
Ulmus - Elm

Biological Note:

Members of this genus are often seen resting on trunks or branches of trees, particularly on beech and maple in open, sunny woodlots. If carefully approached these pretty insects may be easily captured, since they are not as active or tricky as the rest of the Buprestidae. (Edwards, 1949)

Similar Species: There are 18 species of Buprestis, generally distributed (Arnett et al. 2002).

Texas Taxa:

Buprestis apricans Herbst 1801
Buprestis confluenta Say 1823
Buprestis consolaris Glory 1840
Buprestis decora Fabricius 1775
Buprestis lineata Fabricius 1781
Buprestis lyrata Casey 1909
Buprestis maculipennis Gory 1841
Buprestis nutalli Kirby 1837
Buprestis parmaculativentris Knull 1958
Buprestis rufipes Olivier 1790
Buprestis striata Fabricius 1775

Photos: green form, blue-green form (less common) - BugGuide.Net

Etymology: Buprestis rufipes Olivier, 1790

buprest, =is (G). A beetle poisonous to cattle (but see discussion here)

ruf, -esc, -i (L). Red, reddish
-pes (L). A foot

Biography: Guillaume Antoine Olivier 1756-1814 - University of Nebraska-Lincoln State Museum - Division of Entomology

References:

Androw, R.A. An unusual method for collecting buprestids. Ohio Coleopterist 1(1): ? pp.

Arnett, R.H., Jr., M.C. Thomas, P.E. Skelley & J.H. Frank. (editors). 2002. American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL. xiv + 861 pp.

Borror, D.J. 1960. Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms. National Press Books, Palo Alto. v + 134 pp.

Edwards, J.G. 1949. Coleoptera or Beetles East of the Great Plains. Edwards Brothers, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan. vii + 181 pp.

Helfer, J.R. 1941. A revision of the genus Buprestis of North. America north of Mexico. Entomologica Americana (N.S.), 21(3): 123–185.

Nelson, G.H. 1987. Additional notes on the biology and distribution of Buprestidae in North America, II. The Coleopterists Bulletin 41(1): 57-65.

Nelson, G.H. & R.L. Westcott. 1976. Notes on the distribution, synonymy, and biology of Buprestidae (Coleoptera) of North America. Coleopterists Bulletin 30(3): 273-284.

Nelson, G.H., D.S. Verity & R.L. Westcott. 1981. Additional notes on the biology and distribution of Buprestidae (Coleoptera) of North America. Coleopterists Bulletin 35(2): 129-151.