Make Yourself at Home
Tobacco Root Mountains, Montana
2023
I was sitting at our campsite reading a book when this critter decided to join me, landing on my pant leg. It sat there long enough for me to start wondering how well I really wanted to get to know it, but finally took off before I had to actually make a decision. When the same thing later happened to the Fashion Queen, she very quickly and very vocally jumped up and announced her decision.
Longhorn beetle. Mostly found on dead trees or your firewood pile. Some days when they are active you can hear them “chewing” and it is really pretty loud and distinctive. No known human injuries from contact aside from squealing and falling from tripping trying to jump away from them…..
Interesting information, and the name certainly fits the critter. I was sitting down when it landed on my leg and didn’t move other than to reach for my camera to take the photograph. It flew away before I could think much about whether I wanted it there or not. Later it, or one of it’s friends landed on the Fashion Queen’s shirt while she was sitting in her chair. She voiced a very loud version of the squeal you mentioned.