Alosterna (Alosterna) tabacicolor (De Geer, 1775)
ssp. tabacicolor (De Geer, 1775)

Subfamilia: LEPTURINAE  /  Tribus: LEPTURINI
Alosterna tabacicolor tabacicolor
[Photo © Udo Schmidt]


Alosterna tabacicolor, an Eurasian species widespread from the Cantabrian Mts. to Japan, northwards to the North Cape, restricted to mountains in the southern part of its distribution. Six subspecies have been recognised, the nominal form is a common flower visitor from Europe to Kazakhstan. A. tabacicolor females lay eggs in rotten humid branches of broadleaf trees, exceptionally of Pinaceae. Pupation occurs inside the wood in spring, life-cycle lasts two years. Adults, active from late April to July, are diurnal and anthophilous [▽][❖].

Body length:6 - 10 mm
Life cycle:2 years
Adults in:April - July
Host plant:larval development in extremely decayed wood material of deciduous and coniferous trees (Quercus, Betula, Corylus, Carpinus, Ulmus, Acer, Salix, Picea, Pinus)
Distribution:Europe, Russia, Caucasus, North Kazakhstan, Transcaucasia, Iran, Near East


The depicted beetle was photographed on flowers in Würgau environs (Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany) in spring 1972.

Collected by Udo Schmidt


[▽]
Sláma M.E.F.:
Tesaříkovití – Cerambycidae České republiky a Slovenské republiky / Cerambycidae of the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic.
Milan Sláma private printing, Krhanice, 383pp [pages 261-262], 1998 [ISBN: 80-238-2627-1]. [download pdf icon]

[❖]
Vitali F.:
Atlas of the Insects of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg: Coleoptera, Cerambycidae.
Ferrantia, Musée national d’histoire naturelle, Luxembourg 79: 1-208 [pages 92-93], 2018. [download pdf icon]



 
SubfamiliaLepturinae Latreille, 1802
TribusLepturini Latreille, 1802
GenusAlosterna Mulsant, 1863
SubgenusAlosterna Mulsant, 1863
SpeciesAlosterna (Alosterna) tabacicolor (De Geer, 1775)
SubspeciesAlosterna (Alosterna) tabacicolor tabacicolor (De Geer, 1775)