Rhagium bifasciatum

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Rhagium bifasciatum

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Cerambycidae
Subfamily: Lepturinae
Genus: Rhagium
Species: R. bifasciatum
Binomial name
Rhagium bifasciatum
Fabricius, 1775
Wikispecies has information related to:

Rhagium bifasciatum, sometimes called the two-banded longhorn beetle, is one of the commonest longhorn beetles in Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus, although it is absent from the far north-east of Europe and some offshore islands, such as Malta. It may reach 22 mm long and can be distinguished by the two prominent pale yellow bands on each of the elytra, although up to seventeen different patterns have been recognised [1].

Like other longhorn beetles, R. bifasciatum lays its eggs in dead wood, mostly of coniferous trees, where they bore deep, broad tunnels until they are pupate after about two years [2]. The adults feed on a wide variety of coniferous and broad-leaved trees [3].

Dorsal view showing the distinctive elytral markings
Dorsal view showing the distinctive elytral markings

[edit] References

  1. ^ Norman Hickin (1999). Longhorn Beetles of the British Isles. Shire Publications. ISBN 0-85263-897-3. 
  2. ^ Gelbbindiger Zangenbock (Rhagium bifasciatum). www.naturspektrum.de. Retrieved on 18 June 2006.
  3. ^ Norges Biller (The Beetles of Norway). Naturhistorisk museum, University of Oslo. Retrieved on 18 June 2006.