Ceiba Borer

Euchroma giganteum · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Buprestidae

Also called: Giant Metallic Ceiba Borer, Ceiba Borer Beetle

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
Ceiba Borer
Photo: Ricard Busquets Reverte, CC BY

The Ceiba borer is a very large metallic-green beetle, 5 to 8 cm long, with wrinkled elytra and dark spots on each side of the pronotum. Its larvae grow to about 12 to 15 cm and live in decaying wood of ceiba and related trees in warm Amazonian regions up to 1,200 m elevation.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

The adult’s body is robust, elongated, metallic green with reddish-purple tinges, and each pronotum side bears a dark spot.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

Adults reach 50 to 80 mm in length, making them among the largest buprestid beetles. Larvae can grow to 12 to 15 cm long.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

It lives in warm Amazon regions, from lowlands up to about 1,200 m altitude. Adults are commonly seen walking on tree trunks.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

Larvae feed on decaying timber, especially of ceiba and other Bombacaceae trees, as well as Araucaria and Ficus species. Adults are typically found walking on tree trunks rather than feeding.

Source: Wikipedia

Life cycle

Males attract females by producing a clicking sound with their elytra. Mating usually occurs in August.

Source: Wikipedia

When you see it

The species generally mates in August.

Source: Wikipedia

Lookalikes

Other large buprestids such as Catoxantha and Megaloxantha can be confused with it.

Source: Wikipedia

More photos

Ceiba Borer photo 3
Photo: Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), CC BY
Ceiba Borer photo 4
Photo: Rafael Rosa, CC BY-SA
Ceiba Borer photo 5
Photo: unknown, CC0
Ceiba Borer photo 6
Photo: unknown, CC0

Questions people ask

When do Ceiba borers mate?

Mating typically takes place in August.

Source: Wikipedia

How do males attract females?

Males produce a clicking sound with their elytra to draw females.

Source: Wikipedia

Same family (Buprestidae)

Emerald Ash BorerEmerald Ash BorerAgrilus planipennisDamages trees, gardens or cropsSculptured Pine BorerSculptured Pine BorerChalcophora virginiensisDamages trees, gardens or cropsGolden Buprestid BeetleGolden Buprestid BeetleBuprestis aurulentaAnthaxia nitidulaAnthaxia nitidulaAnthaxia nitidulaDamages trees, gardens or cropsWestern Sculptured Pine BorerWestern Sculptured Pine BorerChalcophora angulicollisAnthaxia quadripunctataAnthaxia quadripunctataAnthaxia quadripunctata

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euchroma_giganteum

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.

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