Forum Entomologi Italiani

Today we look at the next an interesting species: Saperda (Compsidia) quercus CHARPENTIER, 1825

It is worth to talk about it, because in about a month this species will take place swarming!
These beetles very difficult to find in the field. They stay in the thick leaves of the host plant: Quercus coccifera and are not easy to observe. On hot days, fly around the trees. Realtywnie live shortly - their swarming takes 2 - 3 weeks.

In Europe, there is a nominative subspecies: S. (C.) guercus guercus:
Greece, Peloponnese, road Sparti - Tripoli, near Karies, 19-21 V 2009
leg., det. A. Woźniak & J. Tatur - Dytkowski

Questa è una bella bestia! Ne ho presa anch'io qualcuna in Grecia.

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Francesco Izzillo

Io ne ho prese tre in tutto ombrellando decine, se non centinaia, di querce...

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Marci
"S'i fosse fuoco, arderei 'l mondo,
S'i fosse vento, lo tempesterei,
S'i fosse acqua, i' l'annegherei
s'i fosse dio, mandereil' en profondo" ( Cecco Angiolieri).

Credo sia meglio prenderla, al momento giusto, quando svolazza intorno alle Q. coccifera.

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Francesco Izzillo

95% of specimens Saperda quercus I caught using entomological umbrella, shaking them from Q. coccifera.

On this occasion, also hit Calchaenesthes oblongomaculatus.

...and Purpuricenus dalmatinus!

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Francesco Izzillo

Yes Francesco, Purpuricenus dalmatinus too, but only one specimen.

They don`t take only that horrible freaky spiky Quercus...I have collected them - many...around Meteora, Larissa, down Lamia...5 places on the mainland. And in the flight or early in the morning by hand, while they were sitting on the leaves and warming their bodies up

This year in the Peloponnese, in late May and early June, this beetle was exceptionally large.

The following photo copulation pair who dropped out of oak on my entomological umbrella.
Photo: 29 V 2015.