Rosalia alpina

The rosalia longicorn is one of the most striking and elegant of all Central European beetles, with its beautiful steely blue-grey coloration and large, dominating black spots. The extremely long antennae on the front of the head are also adorned with groups of black hairs, which contrast dramatically with the blue-sky colour of the bare parts, appearing as alternating bands of black and blue. The larva develops in dead or dying trunks of older beeches in mountain locations at an altitude over 600 m. First it feeds under bark, later before pupating it bores itself several centimetres in wood, thereby wood is seriously impaired. The pupa is white. The adult leave the stem throught the oval exit hole. The rosalia longicorn seeks after thicker trunks. It is protected throughout its European range of occurrence. It can cause damage to trees occasionally.