Callicera spinolae Rondani, 1844

Biology & ecology:

The larvae inhabits rot-holes and have been found in Beech Fagus, Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastaneum and Field Maple Acer campestris, and Poplar Populus sp. (Russian record). Trees bearing suitable rot-holes are not necessarily large or ancient. Larvae have also been found in heart rot extending a long way into the tree, potentially making them more difficult to find than other Callicera larvae. This is a species which has a tendency to turn up at new sites for a period of years and then disappear again, suggesting ready mobility and transient populations.

Distribution:

This species is confined to East Anglia, with recent records from Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Suffolk. Most records for Norfolk and Suffolk are old, although there is a 2007 record from Winterton in Norfolk.

Status & conservation:

Records are sporadic, but there is no evidence of any particular trend.