Musk beetle

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Musk beetle
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Coleoptera Family: Cerambycidae Subfamily: Cerambycinae Genus: Aromia Species: A. moschata
Binomial name
Aromia moschata (Linnaeus, 1758)

The musk beetle (Aromia moschata) is a species of longhorn beetle belonging to the subfamily Cerambycinae, tribe Callichromatini.
Its name comes from the musky smell it emits.

[edit] Description

This beetle is characterised by a somewhat coppery or greenish metallic tint.
The typical form, characterised by a metallic pronotum, is widespread in Europe, except for most of Spain and the Southern Italy.
In such regions, in North Africa and in Asia to Japan, the species is represented by some subspecies characterised by a more or less red pronotum.
The species is in all likelihood native from Asia, where other species of the genus and many other Callichomatini are also present.
The antennae are longer than the entire head and body length in male and as long as body in females. Nevertheless, the Oriental subspecies have usaually shorter antennae.

[edit] Biology

The adults are usually found on leaves, especially those of the willow trees, where the larva of this species lives.