European regional assessment: listed as Least Concern in view of its abundance within its restricted distribution, its presumed large population, and because its habitat 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 abundance within its restricted distribution, its presumed large population, and because its habitat is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

This species is widespread across Europe, throughout much of central, eastern and western Europe, as far west as England (although Extinct there) and Spain and north into northern countries including some of the Baltic States (Bense 1995).

It is also found in all Caucasus, Kazakhstan and north-eastern Turkey.

In Hungary it is widespread in the lowland poplar forests and also in hilly and lower mountainous areas. In Romania it only occurs in the hilly areas. It is present in all German States except Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In Britain it formerly occurred in a small number of sites across southern England but the species is now Extinct.

A widespread species common in much of its European range, although it has been lost from outlying regions such as England and is rare in other states.

In Sweden and Finland is not uncommon. In Ukraine it is a common species. In Hungary the population size and trend have not been quantified, but the species is regarded as rather rare. In Romania the populations are small and there are only few and old reports. In France it is difficult to find but it is not rare. It is not rare in northern Italy but there are only three records in southern and central Italy.

It was known from south-eastern England in 19^th century and up until 1905; also isolated reports from Devon in 1928/9 and the Bristol area, in the south-west (K.N.A. Alexander pers. comm. 2009).

This is an obligate saproxylic species. The larvae develop first in and later under the dry bark of dead, sun exposed branches and stems (often of 15-30 cm diameter). The life cycle is one or two years, with pupation in spring deep in the wood or in the thick bark. Adults emerge in IV-VIII, and are found on the host plants and (rarely) at flowers. The adults hardly ever visit flowers and remain on their host tree for most of their short lives. The host is mainly aspen Populus tremula; the larva develops in recently dead wood (from twigs to branches of a large diameter) which is always quite dry. The phloem needs to be free from fungal development (Rejzek 2006). Develops in broad-leaved trees (especially Populus, also in Salix, Rosa, Quercus, Betula). In Romania adults have been observed in the evening on Crataegus flowers.

In Finland it lives on aspen both in sunny and shaded habitats. In Hungary it lives in lowland poplar forests, mainly on white poplar (Populus alba), and also in the hills and mountains where aspen (Populus tremula) grows. In Germany it can live in different broad-leaved forests. UK sites included old orchards (Malus) as well as ancient forest.

 

There appear to be no major threats to this species at European level. It is unclear why it became Extinct in England.

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.

In the UK this species is considered Extinct.

In Hungary some of the localities are in protected areas but riverine and lowland poplar stands and slope forests should be left undisturbed.