Golden Buprestid beetle (Buprestis aurulenta), Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park, California. The larvae of this beetle create tunnels under the bark of pine, spruce, fir and occasionally western red cedar trees. Adults usually oviposit on bark of dead or dying trees. They are especially fond of trees which have been lightning-struck, fire scorched, or recently felled. The adults live 3 to 5 months. Larvae have been known to take 40 years to complete their development in structural timbers. These beetles are found throughout western North America, from southern B.C. southward to Mexico.