Herberstein Wildlife Park / Great Oak Longhorn Beetle

Cerambyx cerdo

Heroic Survivor

The oak longhorn beetle, also known as the Heldbock, has found its last known refuge in Styria in the Feistritz Gorge. The species has been able to survive in the gorge thanks to the presence of centuries-old sessile oaks. The presence of old oaks as breeding trees enables its survival.

Did you know?

The Feistritzklamm was the first site in Styria to be designated a European protected area. This was prompted by evidence that the great oak longhorn beetle is found there. As a result, this beetle has become the signature species of the Feistritzklamm.

Order	Beetle
Family	longhorn beetle
Distribution	Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor
Habitat	sun-exposed areas in open oak forests; a relic species of the primeval forest; may also be found in parks and tree-lined avenues
Food	Larvae feed on the sap of the host tree, while adult beetles feed on the sap of trees as well as on ripe fruit
Activity	Beetles are mainly active from mid-May through early August; they are most active in the evening hours
Weight	up to 10 g
Size	2.4–5.3 cm (antennae span in males up to 20 cm)
Service life	3 to 5 years as larvae in the wood; the beetles die 1 to 2 months after mating
Reproduction	Using her ovipositor, the female lays up to 450 eggs in cracks in the bark; the larvae feed their way through several larval stages toward the heartwood, reaching a length of 9 cm; after pupation, young beetles emerge in the fall and overwinter once again in what is known as the “pupal cradle.”
Risk	Critically Endangered, EU-protected species
Enemies	Birds

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