IDENTITY RECORD

Great Capricorn beetle

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Cerambyx cerdo

Description

Measuring about 6 cm in length, I am one of the largest longhorn beetle in mainland Europe. I have a black shell and reddish-brown elytra. The males of my species have antenna much longer than their body, while the female’s are only as long as their abdomen.

Behavior

Diet

A xylophagous species, my larvae feed on living oak timber. Adult specimens eat sap and ripe fruit.

Reproduction

I lay my eggs in the bark of trees and my larvae emerge two to three weeks later.

Lifespan

I stay in the larval stage for at least three years before transforming into a pupa and then an adult.

Where and when can you find me in the reserve?

Habitat

I live in the trunks of old oaks.

When to spot me

You can find me between May to August, at dusk.

Conservation status

• Protected in France.
• Species of community interest as included in Appendix II of the European Habitats Directive.