The
longhorn beetles (
Cerambycidae; also known as
long-horned or
longhorn beetles or
longicorns) are a cosmopolitan family of
beetles, typically characterized by extremely long
antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body. In various members of the family, however, the antennae are quite short (e.g.,
Neandra brunnea, figured below) and such species can be difficult to distinguish from related beetle families such as the
Chrysomelidae. The family is large, with over 26,000 species described, slightly more than half from the
Eastern Hemisphere. Several are serious
pests. The
larvae, called roundheaded borers, bore into
wood, where they can cause extensive damage to either living
trees or untreated lumber (or, occasionally, to wood in
buildings; the
old-house borer,
Hylotrupes bajulus, is a particular problem indoors). A number of species mimic
ants,
bees, and
wasps, though a majority of species are cryptically colored. The rare
titan beetle (
Titanus giganteus) from northeastern
South America is often considered the largest (though not the heaviest, and not the longest including legs) insect, with a maximum known body length of just over . The scientific name of this beetle family goes back to a figure from Greek mythology: after an argument with nymphs, the shepherd Cerambos was transformed into a large beetle with horns.