T.E.R:R.A.I.N - Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera (beetles)
Genus: Ochrocydus
Species: O. huttoni
Scientific name: Ochrocydus huttoni
Common name: Kanuka longhorn

Kanuka longhorn is a native insect and has been recorded in most places in New Zealand. The adult is a longhorn beetle up to 35mm long and resembles the huhu beetle (Prionoplus reticularis) in general body form. 
The larvae of Ochrocydus huttoni which may be up to 60mm long, is creamy yellow, the head bearing conspicuous jaws which are rounded at the tip and gouge-like and excavate longitudinal tunnels in the living stem of the host, and make short lateral tunnels leading to surface. The larval tunnels are oval in cross section and about 15mm at their widest point. They may exceed 1m in length. An accumulation of bore dust on or about the lower stem of a living host is generally an indication of advanced infestation. The larval tunnels in the outer sapwood of living beech trees may result in the loss of usable timber Wetas, often present as secondary inhabitants of O.huttoni tunnels in beech, keeping the tunnel system open and allow the entry of stem-rotting fungi.

Hosts of the Ochrocydus huttoni are Leptospermum scoparium (manuka) and L. ericoides (kanuka) which are the main hosts but Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides (mountain beech) and N. fusca (red beech) may also suffer damage especially when close to Leptospermum. The insect has also been recorded from Metrosideros (rata).