Common names:Elderberry Borer, Cloaked Knotty-horn

The Elderberry Borer (D. palliatus) is a species of Cerambycidae that occurs in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

.

Description

The adult is 17 to 26 mm with enlarged antennal segment tips. The coloration is a shimmering dark blue, the base of the elytra is yellow to yellow-red. It is often the model for other insects mimicry, an example of this would be Lycomorpha pholus.

Range and habitat

It ranges from Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...

, central North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

, to parts of the southern Appalachian mountains

Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...

. They tend to be more abundant in the northern part of its range. They can be seen in swampy areas and near streams that support their host plant.

Life cycle

Eggs are laid near stems or at the base of the plant, the larvae then burrow their way into the stems and eat tunnels into the roots of the living plant. They can be seen between April and August.
Adult food

• Pollen

Sambucus

Larval food

Sambucus