As their common name suggests, most of the Cerambycidae have long antennae.
Of the 20000 species known worldwide, about 60 species reside in the UK.
The larvae of most Longhorn Beetles tunnel inside trees and other plants and can cause considerable damage to untreated timber.
Formerly known as Strangalia quadrifasciata, the Four-banded Longhorn Beetle (below left) is the most commonly encountered member of the Cerambycidae in Britain.
Four-banded Longhorn Beetle (Leptura quadrifasciata) |
Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle (Agapanthia villosoviridescens) |
Some species, such as the one illustrated below, are wasp mimics. Not only in their general appearance but also in their behaviour, mimicing the agitated way wasps move and tap their antennae.
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