Longhorn beetle

Monochamus galloprovincialis

Description:
The longhorn beetle has a body length of 11 to 28 millimetres. It has a glossy black body and reddish or yellowish underside. Males have short upper wings and a distinctive disc on the first section of the thorax (pronotum). The wing cases are roughly spotted and have a metallic sheen.

Habitat:
The longhorn beetle can be found throughout Europe and is active in midsummer, from late June to late July.

Habits:
These beetles feed on the foliage, sap and bark of thin branches, mainly in pine trees. The larvae bore into the tree and make extensive tunnel systems in the sapwood and heartwood. Longhorn beetles have a two-year life cycle. They are also known as pine sawyers and are regarded as forest pests due to the damage they inflict on pine trees.