Callidium coriaceum Paykull, 1800

family CERAMBYCIDAE Latreille, 1802
subfamily Cerambycinae Latreille, 1802
tribe Callidiini Kirby, 1837
genus Callidium Fabricius, 1775
coriaceum Paykull, 1800

Callidium coriaceum Paykull, 1800

Distribution:
EUROPE - AU BH BY CR CT CZ EN FI FR GE GR HU IT LA LS LT LU NR NT PL RO SK SL ST SV SZ ASIA - ES FE HEI HEN JA MG NMO WS UK YU

Body length: 8 - 16 mm
Life cycle: 2 years
Adults in: June - August
Host plant: coniferous trees (Picea, Abies, Pinus)
Distribution: Central, East and North Europe, France

Callidium coriaceum is a rare mountainous species associated with mainly spruce in Central Europe. In N Slovak Republic the authors of this site have once observed the species flying to a dying spruce (Figure) of a large diameter. One day spent in a close proximity to the tree resulted in capturing about 12 specimens of this rare animal. Although the beetle seems to be coloured in a rather striking way it is very difficult to see it on the bark of a spruce. Moreover the beetles tend to hide in bark crevices as soon as they land. The larvae of this species feed subcortically and later they enter the sapwood where they build the pupal cells. Recently dead standing spruce trees are the preferred larval substrate. The depicted beetle was found on a dying Norway spruce (Picea abies) near Blatnica (NW Slovakia).