23 Thursday Jun 2022
Posted in insects
As if it knew I was purposefully looking for insects to celebrate National Insect Week, this beetle, my first longhorn of the year, was sunning itself in a hedgerow as I passed by this morning. This is Rutpela maculata (no common name), one of the Cerambycidae and the only longhorn beetle I see regularly in my local area. The black-and-yellow colouration of these beetles varies quite a bit but they always look handsome.
24 Wednesday Jul 2019
Posted in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature
Tags
#365DaysWild, British beetles, Longhorn beetles, Rutpela maculata, Slade Wood, Spotted longhorn beetle
I thought I’d found a new variety of longhorn beetle when I spotted these creatures at Slade Wood on Monday but no. It turns out the yellow-and-black markings of Spotted longhorn beetles (Rutpela maculata) are quite changeable and these were just variations on a theme.
As their larvae inhabit rotten wood, the adult beetles can usually be found near woody areas, on hedgerows and along woodland rides, where they enjoy nectaring on umbellifer flowers.
I’ve just been reading that the adults only live for a few weeks between May and August so eyes peeled – you haven’t got long to spot these little stunners.
17 Tuesday Jul 2018
Tags
British beetles, British insects, Longhorn beetles, longhorns, Rutpela maculata, Spotted longhorn beetle
I’ve been seeing quite a few of these handsome mini-beasties recently, the Spotted longhorn beetles (Rutpela maculata).
Though the pattern of their black-and-yellow markings can vary a bit, they’re really quite unmistakeable.
They’re large beetles and look quite fierce, but they’re harmless.
Spotted longhorns are most often found feasting on the pollen of the umbellifer and other flowers that grow in hedgerows and alongside woodland paths.
Their larvae overwinter in rotten wood, then emerge as adults in late Spring, so these lovely longhorns can be seen from May through till around the end of August.
earthstar 
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