European regional assessment: listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large overall population, it occurs in a number of protected areas, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

EU 27 regional assessment: listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large overall population, it occurs in a number of protected areas, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

This species is distributed throughout much of Europe, except only the far north and far south (Bense 1995). It is also found in all Caucasus, northern Iran, west Turkmenistan, Siberia, Algeria - on east to Ural Mountains only.

In Hungary this species is widespread in the hilly and mountainous areas; rarer in forested areas of the lowlands. In Romania it is known from all parts of the country, specially in the hilly areas. In Portugal it is widespread in the north and centre; few recent records. In Denmark it is distributed throughout and common (Thomsen 2007). In Germany it is present in all the States. In Britain it is widespread across the whole of England and Wales, but with very few records from Scotland. It has been reported from European Turkey without giving exact locality (Althoff and Danilevsky 1997).

At the European level this species is widespread and common.

In Britain it is widespread and plentiful over much of the lowlands of England and Wales; but rare in Scotland (Twinn and Harding 1999). In Ukraine it is common. In Hungary the population size and trend have not been quantified, although the species is regarded as common in its localities. In Romania it is common in the oak forests of Transylvania. In France it is very common while in Finland it is rare. In Spain it is common. In the European part of Turkey the population size and trend have not been quantified but it is regarded as common.

In Ireland it is a rare and very localised species, with possibly two well-established native populations (Alexander 1997); distribution confused by periodic casual introductions.

This is an obligate saproxylic species. Larvae first develop under the bark, later in the wood, of dead trunks and branches. The life cycle is two years (in Ukraine it is one year), with pupation in autumn or spring deep in the wood. Adults emerge in V-VII, and are found on the host plants or at flowers. It is polyphagous in broad-leaved trees and shrubs (Quercus, Fagus, Carpinus, Castanea, Corylus, Juglans, Crataegus, Sarothamnus, Robinia, Rosa, Ficus, Ostrya, Salix, Morus, Vitis, Fraxinus, Prunus, Ulmus, Ilex). Adults sun-loving and often found apparently basking on foliage and wood in warm sunshine.

Known in Britain from a very wide variety of situations across the cultural landscape, from woodlands through to coastal scrub and hedgerows  (K.N.A. Alexander pers. comm. 2009). In Hungary this species occurs in various deciduous forest types, mainly in ecotonal situations. In Romania it has been found on fresh cut branches, on the edge of forests, and in pastures with old scatter oaks. In Germany it is abundant in all broad-leaved forests. There is no detailed information on the habitats and ecology of this species for European Turkey.

There appears to be no major threats.

The main overall threat is likely to be degradation or loss of habitat quality, involving structural changes in the tree populations arising from changing land use – affecting age structures and tree density. Exploitation from forestry is often a key immediate issue, but equally damaging can be long-term changes towards canopy closure and loss of ancient trees as a result of non- or minimum-intervention management systems which all too often exclude grazing by large herbivores. Fragmentation and increasing isolation of beetle populations are also key factors.

Saproxylic Coleoptera tend to be popular with beetle collectors although trade is rarely an issue, the only exceptions being a few larger species of more dramatic form or colour.

Present in a large number of protected sites in Britain, Hungary, etc.