ssp. pusillus (Fabricius, 1787)
Subfamilia: CERAMBYCINAE / Tribus: CALLIDIINI
[Photo © Milan Lovětínský]
Phymatodes pusillus pusillus, a rare and islet-distributed species in Central Europe, inhabits the preserved xerothermic oak stands and forest-steppes. Development in weaker oak branches with a diameter of 2-6 cm in standing dying oaks. It often attacks branches that die after attack of other beetles, especially jewel beetles of the genus Coroebus. The larva feeds the gallery under the bark, extending more or less deeply into the surface layer of the sapwood. Larva finally bore shallow pupal chamber in the wood. The species overwinters at the stage of larva, pupation and hatching of adults in early spring (often late March in warm springs). Exit holes openings are elongated oval. Life cycle 1-2 years, adults can be found on fallen branches or beaten from standing oaks from end of March till early June. In the Czech lands, Phymatodes pusillus pusillus belongs among the earliest spring xylophagous longhorn beetles in the nature, together with Rhagium and Semanotus species [❖].
Body length: 5 - 10 mm Life cycle: 1-2 years Adults in: late March - May (early June) Host plant: strongly prefers Quercus spp., also reported in Castanea sativa Distribution: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine
The depicted beetle was reared from larva found in oak (Quercus robur) branch in Křivoklátsko Protected Landscape Area (Central Bohemia, Czechia).Collected by Miroslav Polcar
[❖]
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 147-149], 1998 [ISBN: 80-238-2627-1]. [download]
[Photo © Milan Lovětínský]
| Subfamilia | Cerambycinae Latreille, 1802 |
| Tribus | Callidiini Mulsant, 1839 |
| Genus | Phymatodes Mulsant, 1839 |
| Subgenus | Phymatoderus Reitter, 1913 |
| Species | Phymatodes (Phymatoderus) pusillus (Fabricius, 1787) |
| Subspecies | Phymatodes (Phymatoderus) pusillus pusillus (Fabricius, 1787) |