The Alpine longhorn beetle

14.11.2023 Anna Scaini & Chiara Scaini 1 min read

Credits: Wikimedia

The Alpine Rosalia, Rosalia alpina (Linneaus, 1758) is a saproxylic beetle belonging to the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Cerambycinae. It is a species with Euro-Anatolian diffusion, present in the mountainous regions of central-southern Europe and northern Europe up to Southern Sweden, reaching as far as Turkey, Syria and the Caucasus.

Although the area of diffusion is relatively large, the geographical distribution of the Alpine longhorn beetle appears very fragmented due to the loss of suitable habitats resulting from forest management.

The fragmentation of the habitat, caused by the anthropic impact, determines, in fact, a progressive isolation of populations representing a threat to the Alpine longhorn beetle (in Italian, Rosalia alpina) and other species saproxylic beetles. Its presence is currently monitored and studied in the Friulian Dolomites park.

More information is available here.