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Treacodactyl

Mystery beetle

I found this beetle over the weekend but can't identify it, does anyone have any idea what it is?

Green Rosie

Leptura quadrifasciata? Longhorn Beetle
Treacodactyl

That looks likely, certainly looks like a longhong beetle but a bit of searching suggests there's a few others that seem to have been renamed and are possibly the same. Stangalia maculata according to my Collins book and that seems to have changed to Leptura maculata.
buzzy

That looks likely, certainly looks like a longhong beetle but a bit of searching suggests there's a few others that seem to have been renamed and are possibly the same. Stangalia maculata according to my Collins book and that seems to have changed to Leptura maculata.



I should say you are right and that it is what used to be called Strangalia maculata, spent a short while being called Leptura maculata and is now (today Smile) Rutpela maculata.

The more observant will have noted that Rutpela is an anagram of Leptura. Thank you taxonomists Very Happy .

Henry
Treacodactyl

Actually I think Rosie was spot on. My OH pointed out that quadrifasciata means four bands and, assuming they are referring to the black the one I found has the four bands. Maculata means spots so she think it means black spotted.
buzzy

Actually I think Rosie was spot on. My OH pointed out that quadrifasciata means four bands and, assuming they are referring to the black the one I found has the four bands. Maculata means spots so she think it means black spotted.


Looking again I think I agree with you both - Leptura quadrifasciata it is. Rutpela maculata is very variable, and can approach looking like this.

L.quad is less common - where did you record it?

Henry vegplot

It's a beetle. Treacodactyl

I found it in North Devon in young woodland.

And it's not just a beetle, it's a beetle that spends a few years living in long dead wood before pupating. So it just goes to show how valuable it is to leave dead wood about.

Speaking of dead trees here's a pic of one of ours that's been opened up by various woodpeckers, quite common visitors, and even been used by something, probably a squirrel, to wedge a pine cone in.

buzzy

Might be the woodpeckers who have wedged the pine cone there. Depends whether it has been put there for storage for later (not very well hidden, though) or in a firm place so the seeds can be extracted.

Henry
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