Rutpela maculata
| Rutpela maculata | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Cerambycidae |
| Subfamily: | Lepturinae |
| Genus: | Rutpela |
| Species: | R. maculata |
| Binomial name | |
| Rutpela maculata (Poda, 1761) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Rutpela maculata, the Spotted Longhorn, is a beetle species of flower longhorns belonging to the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Lepturinae.
This beetle is widespread in most of Europe, in East Palearctic ecozone and in the Near East.
Larvae are polyphagous in deciduous trees, mainly feeding on Picea abies, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Castanea sativa and Ostrya carpinifolia, as well as on Quercus, Carpinus, Salix, Alnus, Populus and Betula species.
The adults grow up to 13–20 millimetres (0.51–0.79 in) and can be encountered from May through August, completing their life cycle in two-three years. Adults only live two-four weeks.
The head and pronotum are dark-brown, while elytra are yellowish, with black dots and stripes, rough imitations of wasps, which probably gives them some protection from birds.
The adults are very common flower-visitors, especially Apiaceae species, feeding on pollen and the nectar.
See also
- Clytus arietis, another common wasp-mimicking longhorn beetle