Scientists identify 'mystery beetle' attacking blueberry farms across North Carolina

North Carolina's blueberry farmers may have a beetle problem. A new study from North Carolina State University has identified destructive beetles inhabiting North Carolina blueberry fields as Prionus imbricornus, a species of longhorn beetle. Known for their long antennae, the wood-boring beetles are an emerging pest in NC blueberries. Female adults typically lay their eggs in the soil near the roots of hardwood trees; their larvae, which can grow up to five inches long, then consume and destroy those roots, potentially killing the tree. Adults do not feed.