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Capricorn beetle

Cerambyx sp.

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46.2539, 6.11157

Field Notes

Description:

Sorry for a poor quality of this pic, but I was saving it from my cat who took it for a toy and had no time to look for my camera and play with settings. So, this is a large dark-brown beetle, about 5cm in length (without antennae) and female.

Habitat:

Found yesterday in our appartement and saved from paws of my cat, who took it, relatively gently, for a toy... So, this is in our residence building, at outskirts of a small urban center in Geneva lake valley. The backyard counts a number of deciduous trees and shrubs, most of them spontaneous and local, some planted. The backyard neighbours a meadow (used for producing hay) and a lowland deciduous (mainly oak and beech) forest, and some other agricultural fields.

Notes:

Cerambyx cerdo (Great Capricorn Beetle) and C. scopolii (Capricorn Beetle) are both found in deciduous woodlands, especially those with old growth of oak and beech trees, and are both encountered in our area, the border between Switzerland and France around Geneva.

C. cerdo is considered threatened and is protected in many European countries, including Switzerland and France. It relies on ancient oak trees for its development. C. scopolii is smaller than C. cerdo but similar in appearance, and is more widespread and less dependent on old trees.

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