The Beetle That Lives in the Wood

ID NP-2026-0417-03 Species Capnodis tenebrionis Common Flatheaded Root Borer Host Cydonia oblonga (quince) Stage Adult (surface activity) Phenology Mid-April · first emergence Notes Adult resting on young branch in full sun. No visible oviposition or entry points. Tree newly planted; monitoring for larval activity in root zone. Last fall I planted some new quince trees. It's a fruit I really like. It's not an apple, it's not a pear, but it's something in between those two. It needs to be cooked to unlock its floral, pear-like flavor and turn its white flesh into deep pink or red. My wife uses it to make quince-applesauce (50/50 apples and quince) and jam. But cooking tips aside. Today I noticed something dark clinging to one of the young branches. At first glance, it didn’t even register as an insect. It looked like a fragment of bark, or a small piece of charcoal wedged against the twig. But then it moved and it became obvious that it was a beetle. A thick, heavy, matte black beetle,…