Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Clytus arietis

Adult Wasp Beetle (subspecies C. a. arietis) at Geddington, Northants - May 2016

Featured Subspecies: Clytus arietis arietis
Length: 9-18mm
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

This is a species which has developed wasp like patterns to deter predators, being harmless itself but by mimicking something poisonous may put off predators, which is is able to back up by simulating a buzzing like noise.  As a larvae they feed on the wood of deciduous trees that have been invaded by certain fungi, and the adults then emerge in May, but have generally died by the end of Summer.

Related Species: 
Order: Coleoptera 
Family: Cerambycidae 
Genus: Clytus 
SUBSPECIES: C. a. arietis, C. a. cloueti, C. a. lederi, C. a. oblitus 

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Larger White Longicorn Beetle (Olenecamptus cretaceus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A 

Latin Etymology: Olenecamptus (?) cretaceus ("chalk resembling)

Adult Larger White Longicorn Beetle (Olenecamptus cretaceus) at Arashiyama, Japan - June 2013

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight:  ? /  Length: ?  /  Wingspan: ?
UK Status: Not Present / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

It's habitat seemed to be the forest floor of the hillsides that led up to the Monkey Sanctuary at Arashiyama, although given we were walking up this hillside, I must admit I didn't really want to stop to look at it beyond a few quick photographs.  I noticed it in the first place for its unusual brilliant white shell, and the massive antennae which you unfortunatly cannot really see in this picture.

Related Species:
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Cerambycidae
Genus: Olenecamptus
SUBSPECIES: None - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - オオシロカミキリ 

Resident seen in Summer.

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: A single individual at Arashiyama.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List,.RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Golden Bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle (Agapanthia villosoviridescens)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Agapanthia ("loves flowers") villosoviridescens ("hairy and green")

Golden Bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle (Agapanthia villosoviridescens) at Brigstock, Northants, UK - May 2023

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: g/kg  /  Length: 10-22mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A longhorn beetle species found in Europe into Central Asia. They feed on a wide variety of host plants including angelicas, asters, thistles, gentias and hellebores, with larvar developing inside the host plant before eventually cutting their way free from the inside.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Coleoptera 
Family: Cerambycidae 
Genus: Agapanthia
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 
 

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM 
Seen in Brigstock 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Rufous-shouldered Longhorn Beetle (Anaglyptus mysticus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Anaglyptus ("bas relief") mysticus ("secret")

 

Adult Rufous-shouldered Longhorn Beetle (Anaglyptus mysticus) at Earl's Barton, Northants, UK - May 2026

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 8-15mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species of beetle that spends two years as a larvae inside dead wood of deciduous trees of species including hazel, hornbeam, beech, maple and elder, while the adults feed at flowers, especially hawthorn. They are found widely in the Western Paleactic.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Coleoptera 
Family: Cerambycidae 
Genus: Anaglyptus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 
 
- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Widespread South of the Humber and East of Wales

 - Seen at Summer Leys 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Black-spotted Longhorn Beetle (Rhagium mordax)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Rhagium ("grape") mordax ("biting")

Adult Black-spotted Longhorn Beetle (Rhagium mordax) at Keswick, Cumbria - June 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: ?  /  Length: 13-26mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

One of the larger longhorn beetles in the UK, the larvae of this species favour silver fir, hazel, silver birch, beech and sweet chestnut. They tend to be seen more frequently in less disturbed upland areas in the UK where these trees remain in greater densities. While five "varieties" are described, these are apparently not considered subspecies.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Coleoptera 
Family: Cerambycidae 
Genus: Rhagium
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 
 
- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A widespread resident

 - Seen near Keswick, June 2022 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Red Pine Longhorn Beetle (Stictoleptura rubra)

OTHER NAMES: Red-brown Longhorn Beetle
Latin Etymology: Stictoleptura ("tight wings") rubra  rubra ("red")

 

Male Red Pine Longhorn Beetle (Stictoleptura rubra) at Kettering, Northants, UK - July 2025

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 19cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A beetle species which has its larvae develop in dead wood, particularly favouring pines, firs and larches. Unusually for beetles in the UK, they are distinctively sexually dimorphic with the females being red while the males have an ochre coloured wingcase.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Cerambycidae
Genus: Stictoleptura
SUBSPECIES: S. r. rubra, S. r. numidica
 
- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Kettering 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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