Day 361 - Really Lively & Beautiful Red Longhorn Beetle

Male Red Longhorn Beetle (Stictoleptura rubra) in Norfolk

Hey everyone, today's Day 361 and a while ago during the Summer I went to Kelling Heath on my holiday. It's in Norfolk. I had a great time there, even apart from what nature I found it was a great time. But nature-wise, it was great too, one little thing was at the holiday park itself which is amongst some fabulous woodlands. I saw a number of these little creatures flying about and it was a while until one settled long enough for me to get a photo of it. It was the amazing, Red Longhorn Beetle. They're interesting bugs and I was looking forward to finding out about them.

So, here are the facts:

• They are very rare it looks like, there has only been about 54 records, according to the Nation, in all of the UK.

Trying to get in close

• The bulk of the UK population is found in Norfolk but it has been spreading North and West recently.

• The five most Northerly records of these beetles were found by my friend Dr. Roger Key. Well done Roger :-)

• They are about 19mm in length.

• Juveniles are found of various Pine Trees, Firs and Larches.

• Adults, like most Beetles, visit flowers for nectar and pollen, these like thistles and brambles.

The best bugs eye view I could get - they didn't hang about 

• The larvae are found in dead coniferous wood stumps where they take 2 to 3 years to develop

• The adults have been described to be found at the height of Summer, July and August I'm guessing.

• The one I found was a male which isn't as brightly coloured as the female which have far more red wing cases and where the common name of Red Longhorn Beetle comes from.

Here are a few links to some more information:

NatureSpot - Longhorn Beetles

NBN Gateway - Longhorn Beetles - Distribution map

Hope you enjoyed,

Z.