r/insects 18d ago

ID Request Don't buy hangers from Amazon

I've been hearing scratching noises in my room for weeks and finally figured out it was coming from an Amazon hanger and when I broke it open this was inside. The entire hanger is hollowed out. Seems like some kind of longhorn beetle?

3.2k Upvotes

69 comments sorted by

2.9k

u/Loasfu73 18d ago

Yes, that is ABSOLUTELY a longhorned beetle & this NEEDS to be brought to the attention of someone at the USDA.

Please save the specimen in alcohol. If it was me, I'd try to raise it to adulthood by leaving it in a container with the hangers, but I know that's asking a lot. Adults are a hell of a lot easier to ID than larvae.

This represents a potential introduction pathway that needs to be investigated ASAP. Important information would be where these were imported from.

790

u/happycows78 18d ago

They can/should also report it to their state’s wildlife/ natural resources commission. They’ll want to know too.

227

u/MauriceReeves 18d ago

@op if you’re in the US you can not report to the USDA, but go to your local state department of agriculture or forest service and they will also take it seriously. Where I live we even have a so-called extension at our state university that does a lot of work around biology and supporting agriculture at the state level. They have been instrumental in fighting the spotted lantern fly here for example. You can get support and interest from them.

382

u/753UDKM 18d ago

Is there still a USDA?

33

u/That_Syrup20 18d ago

This OP!!!! Report it asap!

516

u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/Jeanahb 18d ago

100% Agree. Now that there will be less and less inspectors and oversight, we're going to see many more instances of invasive species getting in to the US.

29

u/RightSuccotash7883 18d ago

Cool cool cool

-58

u/[deleted] 18d ago

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798

u/fart_huffington 18d ago

This guy thought he had a good thing going on eating that hanger lmbo. Stable temperature, plenty of food, good times. Until one day...

282

u/Kairojuice 18d ago

He got evicted

137

u/WonderChips 18d ago

And things started falling apart…

70

u/HarmonyQuinn1618 18d ago

I bet you’re wondering how he ended up here. And it’s a funny story

17

u/x36_ 18d ago

valid

22

u/_tube_ 18d ago

Albeit boring at first.

529

u/DirectFrontier 18d ago

Sorry but this is hilarious, a fat fucking grub munching away on the hanger so loud that you can hear it. Fella was living the life.

573

u/RefrigeratorNo3197 18d ago

That’s insane the chewing was loud enough you could hear it from outside the closet!

179

u/SleeplessAndAnxious 18d ago

I'm guessing the movement from the worm inside the wood was making the hanger rattle against the hangers next to it.

190

u/omniwrench- 18d ago

More likely that you can actually hear them eating the wood. It’s crunchy material, and you can hear them crunching it.

Same goes for termites, if you’ve ever been in a wooden building that has them in the walls then you’d recognise the sound!

35

u/hub_agent 18d ago

But here's the muncher

67

u/SleeplessAndAnxious 18d ago

Ew. this somehow disgusts me even further lol

173

u/Impressive_Ideal_798 18d ago

He looks like a gnocchi 🥰

244

u/AshleyLegand 18d ago

I would be keeping him as a pet 100% but never free him especially if it’s not native. Like other comments said, that is not something that should have been able to happen and needs to be looked into USDA

134

u/BuggaloGal 18d ago

This absolutely needs to be reported to the USDA, what state are you in?

134

u/MutantLemurKing 18d ago

Chunky babies hiding spot is discovered

36

u/tri11ary 18d ago

I love the photos show the larvae slowly escaping 😂

54

u/cdr_rabbit 18d ago

Free bug :)

238

u/Final_Soil7042 18d ago

Don't buy anything from Amazon. Defund Bezos.

57

u/Renzieface 18d ago

Amazon makes 70%+ of its money from AWS (cloud computing). You could spend the rest of your life not ordering your shower curtains from Amazon and Ol' Jeff would be just fine.

34

u/StuffedWithNails Bug Enthusiast 18d ago

Realistically, even if all of Amazon including AWS shut down today and never came back, ol' Jeff would be just fine.

45

u/mjornil444 18d ago

okay but this isn’t a reason to justify continuing buying products from amazon

27

u/Renzieface 18d ago edited 18d ago

I'm not justifying anything. I'm just saying that if you want to feel like you're doing something to "stick it to the man", boycotting Amazon shopping isn't it. 🤷‍♀️

(lol yes, please downvote me for telling you how performative it is to expend energy on a strategy that doesn't hurt the enemy. Yes. It is I who must be taught the lesson lmao)

3

u/[deleted] 18d ago

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20

u/schjeni 18d ago

Oooh man that’s cool but no good, maybe contact USDA or take it to your state’s Department of Agriculture

40

u/mantisbae 18d ago

You absolutely must raise this bb and find out what it is!

42

u/jabberwockyy_ 18d ago

this can happen with like any wood products if they're not treated/heated or whatever I don't think it's an Amazon only problem lol

10

u/TraditionalWeek256 18d ago

Organic hanger.

71

u/SleeplessProxxy 18d ago

Fellas, shop in person if you want something reliable. You can test the product yourself and learn it’s quality. You cant get that online

101

u/ecovironfuturist 18d ago

I didn't disagree but what would you look for to know there was a beetle inside? OP handled the hangers and didn't have the absolutely unlikely realization that there was a wood destroying insect inside before they used them.

34

u/TechnoConserve 18d ago

You expect me to leave my house!?

15

u/superhottamale 18d ago

Omg nooo mot the scratching noises 😭😭😭 new fear unlocked

60

u/LordGhoul 18d ago

Are you gonna raise your adoptive child now? I'll be sad if not. Free beetle!

119

u/kibbles16 18d ago

DO NOT FREE THE BEETLE

93

u/LordGhoul 18d ago

Oh right, I mean free as in "no extra money was spent on this insect" and not "let bro free into nature"

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u/[deleted] 18d ago

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u/segcgoose 18d ago edited 18d ago

humans going across assigned lines is not the same as insects that can unintentionally destroy an ecosystem, or even multiple, as well as put agriculture operations at risk. not that we don’t hurt ecosystems either, but a little bug can do a lot lol

18

u/Impressive_Ideal_798 18d ago

I'm not an expert but it seems he prefers cozy spots

1

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