Tobacco-coloured longhorn beetle

Alosterna tabacicolor · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Cerambycidae

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The tobacco-coloured longhorn beetle is a slender beetle about 6 to 10 mm long, dark on the head, pronotum and upper elytra with brown-yellow lower elytra and darkened sides. It lives in forests from lowlands to lower mountains across much of the Palearctic, including many European countries. Adults feed on Apiaceae and Aruncus flowers, while larvae develop in bark of oak and other decayed hardwoods; the life cycle takes two years and adults fly from April to July, especially in July.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

The beetle has a dark head, pronotum and upper elytra, with brown-yellow lower elytra and darkened sides; the pronotum is longer than wide with inward-curved sides, and the elytra are finely haired.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

It occurs in forests from plains up to lower mountain ranges, and also at higher elevations in the southern Alps.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

Larvae live in the bark of oak (Quercus robur) and in highly decayed wood of various deciduous trees like elm, maple, willow, hazel, hornbeam and birch.

Source: Wikipedia

Life cycle

The beetle’s life cycle lasts two years, with larvae developing in bark and decayed wood.

Source: Wikipedia

When you see it

Adults are on the wing from April to July, most commonly seen in July.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

The species is native to the Palearctic region and is found in many European countries such as Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Source: Wikipedia