Sternidius alpha

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 : 52-53

Sternidius alpha complex; Acanthocinini [new state record]

Taxonomic note: Sternidius is taxonomically difficult, as species are separated by color and setal pattern rather than structural characters. Lewis (1986) broke up this complex into a number of species, but Linsley and Chemsak (1995) synonymized some of them back under S. alpha . Bousquet et al. (2017) examined available types in conjunction with Canadian specimens and resurrected a few of the names to valid species. However, since the most recent taxonomic changes were only focused on Canadian specimens, we think it is prudent to maintain Linsley & Chemsak’s (1995) concept for this species but acknowledge that there may be more than one species here by referring to this as a species complex.

Distribution: Southern PQ to central FL to south TX to CO to southern MB. Kentucky collections are scattered throughout the state (Map 178).

Kentucky counties: Barren (2), Campbell (18), Fayette (25), Harlan (3), Hickman (2), Jefferson (5), Madison (6), McCracken (1), Rowan (6), Spencer (1), Warren (3), Wayne (5), nr (9)

Years: 1890 (1), 1892 (1), 1894 (1), 1902 (3), 1943 (7), 1945 (2), 1952 (5), 1953 (1), 1954 (1), 1955 (1), 1962 (2), 1964 (1), 1966 (2), 1983 (6), 1995 (1), 1996 (1), 2011 (3), 2012 (5), 2014 (4), 2015 (4), 2016 (4), 2017 (9), 2018 (7), 2019 (4), 2021 (1), nr (9)

Months: May (19), June (47), July (10), August (1), nr (9)

Collections (60 records, 86 specimens): ABRC (8), AMBC (3), CNHM (9), EGCCRC (8), FlorC (1), PDBC (2), UKIC (33), WKUC (3), XEUC (18), iNat (1)

Collection methods: Light (20); Malaise trap (5); sugar trap (2); log pile (1); from Gleditsia triacanthos (1); panel trap baited with: Ray lab blend (17), prionic acid (1)

Larval host plants: Acer spp. , Alnus rugosa , Amelanchier arborea , Carya spp ., Celastrus scandens , Celtis spp. , Diospyros virginiana , Gleditschia triacanthos , Gymnocladus dioica , Juglans nigra , Maclura pomifera , Morus spp. , Prosopis juliflora , Quercus spp. , Rhus spp. , Robinia pseudoacacia , Ulmus americana , Wisteria floribunda and Zanthoxylum spp. ( Monné & Nearns 2022d)

Chemical lures: (E/Z)-fuscumol + acetate ( Hanks & Millar 2013) or fuscumol alone ( Millar et al. 2017), components of the Ray lab lure blend

Comments: Attracted to lights.