A Survey of the Lepturinae of Wisconsin (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

The “flower long-horned wood-boring beetles” (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae), because of larval feeding and adult pollination services, comprise one of the most substantial families and subfamilies of wood-boring insects in forest ecosystems. So far, no surveys of either the Wisconsin or the western Great Lakes Region lepturinae fauna have been conducted. Published distributional records and biological data for the species indigenous to Wisconsin are extremely incomplete. The primary objective is to conduct a systematic statewide survey of Wisconsin Lepturinae, with special emphasis on coniferous and hardwood forests, barrens, and savannas. This will establish an essential base of knowledge regarding species richness, geographical and temporal distributions, plant associations, and general biology. Results are expected to be published in papers and will also include a specimen-level database, and a website featuring “species pages” for each Wisconsin lepturine species, complete with images, detailed maps, and text relating a brief diagnostic description, phenological, natural history, and as appropriate, economic significance. Specimen data will be recorded in the NSF-supported, relational biodiversity database, Specify; this information will be available through the UW Insect Research Collection link on the UW Department of Entomology homepage. The resulting products will be integrated with other, ongoing Wisconsin survey and inventory projects. This research will also be used to coordinate with state forest entomology and other forest resources projects, especially those concerned with wood-boring beetle detection and survey work.