Spotted Longhorn Beetle

Rutpela maculata

Date First Recorded in the Garden: 19/07/2023

Family Cerambycidae: The Longhorn Beetles

A large family of beetles, online sources suggesting 35,000 described species worldwide and a popular group due to the stunning appearance of so many of the adults. Typically they are wood (xylophagous) and plant (phytophagous) feeding species. Only around 70 species are recorded in the UK, which is a tenth of those recorded across Europe.

Spotted Longhorn Beetle – Rutpela maculata

Amazing looking beetle, somewhat of a wasp mimic. The adult beetles are like many members of this family very short lived, two-four weeks. But do however live in total for two to three years in the larval stage.

In the Garden

A little surprised it took so long to record this species. We have seen it locally for a while and the larva are phytophagous and known to favour a select number of plants, one of which is Hazel, one of the few native shrubs we have in the garden. We have recorded the adult of this species feeding on Wild Carrot – Daucus carota as shown below.