About Melanophila consputa LeConte, 1857
Melanophila consputa, commonly called the charcoal beetle, is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle that belongs to the family Buprestidae. This species is distributed across Central America, North America, and Oceania. Like other species in the Melanophila genus, charcoal beetles are attracted to forest fires. They locate these fires using infrared radiation-detecting sensors positioned near their legs. After finding a burned site, female charcoal beetles lay their eggs inside the charred remains of coniferous trees. This species has been recorded swarming around large groups of smokers and biting humans.
