Arrhenodes minutus
larvae feed on the wood of freshly dead oak. The males have vice-grip mandibles
and are purported to use these to help extract the females needle-like
beak if she gets stuck while boring a hole to deposit eggs. Males do compete
for females and it is more likely that their heavier mandibles are used
in inter-male contests. There are only 5 NA species in this small
but interesting Family.
