There are fifty-nine species of longhorn beetle native to Great Britain. Longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) are found on every continent in the world except Antarctica, and are among the most diverse and important beetle families. Around 35,000 species are known. A few of the British species are known from accidental introductions, while a handful are now believed to be extirpated from the island. Longhorn beetles are found in the vast majority of Britain, excepting some remote parts of Scotland, but enjoy their greatest diversity in southern England, especially in some of the Home Counties, in Hampshire, and in Cambridgeshire. In Scotland, they are more diverse and more frequently recorded in the Highlands than in the Lowlands.
List of native species There are fifty-nine native species of longhorn beetle in Great Britain, in five subfamilies.
Subfamily Cerambycinae +SpeciesImageDistributionDistribution in BritainAnaglyptus mysticus (Linnaeus, 1758) Rufous-shouldered longhorn beetleEurope and Asia minorPatchy distribution in EnglandAromia moschata (Linnaeus, 1758) Musk beetlePalearctic realmPatchy distribution in EnglandCallidium violaceum (Linnaeus, 1758)Eurasia, from Europe through Caucasia and China to JapanFound in England; recorded more in the Midlands and points southward.Clytus arietis (Linnaeus, 1758) Wasp beetleEurope and western AsiaCommon in EnglandGracilia minuta (Fabricius, 1781) Basket beetleWestern Palearctic realmEngland; a few records in Wales and ScotlandHylotrupes bajulus (Linnaeus, 1758) Old house borerOriginally from Europe, but now with a cosmopolitan distributionSouthern England, with some records from the Midlands and WalesMolorchus minor (Linnaeus, 1758) Spruce shortwing beetleEurasia, from Korea and China through Mongolia and Iran to Europe, Turkey, and RussiaScattered distribution through southern England, the Midlands, central Wales, and near Middlesbrough.Molorchus umbellatarum (Schreber, 1759) Pear shortwing beetleEurope and western AsiaSouthern England and southeast WalesNathrius brevipennis (Mulsant, 1839)Western Palearctic realm: Europe and North Africa to central AsiaScattered records through EnglandObrium brunneum (Fabricius, 1793) Brown longhorn beetleEurope, Turkey, and CaucasiaSoutheast England onlyPlagionotus arcuatus (Linnaeus, 1758)Western Palearctic realm: Europe and North Africa to Caucasia and IranScattered English records in Yorkshire and southwards, excluding the South West PeninsulaPoecilium alni (Linnaeus, 1767) White-banded longhorn beetleEurope and western–central AsiaScarce; found in some woodlands in South East EnglandPyrrhidium sanguineum (Linnaeus, 1758) Welsh oak longhorn beetleCommon in central Europe; found around the Palearctic realm in Iran and westwardsFound in southeastern Wales and patchily distributed elsewhere in Wales and in England's Midlands and southern regions.
Subfamily Lamiinae SpeciesImageDistributionDistribution in BritainAcanthocinus aedilis (Linnaeus, 1758) Timberman beetleNorthern Eurasia and all of EuropeMost common in the Scottish Highlands; scattered records elsewhere.Agapanthia villosoviridescens (De Geer, 1775) Golden-bloomed grey longhorn beetleEurope, Kazakhstan, Caucasia, and the Near EastCentral and southern England, but not in South West EnglandLamia textor (Linnaeus, 1758) Weaver beetleEurasia: from Europe through Turkey and Central Asia to Japan and TaiwanScattered records across Britain, possibly now restricted to CambridgeshireLeiopus nebulosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Black-clouded longhorn beetleEurope, Russia, and the Near EastIn Wales, and in England but far less common in the North and in Cornwall; a few records in ScotlandMesosa nebulosa (Fabricius, 1781) White-clouded longhorn beetleEurope and the Mediterranean areaSouthern EnglandOberea oculata (Linnaeus, 1758)Palearctic realmWetlands: uncommon, but most-reported in East AngliaPhytoecia cylindrica (Linnaeus, 1758) Umbellifer longhorn beetleEuropeCommon in England south of the HumberPogonocherus fasciculatus (De Geer, 1775)Europe, Kazakhstan, Caucasia, and the Near EastScattered distribution from the Scottish Highlands to South East EnglandPogonocherus hispidulus (Piller & Mitterpacher, 1783) Greater thorn-tipped longhorn beetleCommon in Europe, Siberia, and Turkey and CaucasiaCommon through most of England; patchy records from ScotlandPogonocherus hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758) Lesser thorn-tipped longhorn beetleWestern Palearctic realm: Europe, west Asia, and North AfricaCommon through inland Wales, the Midlands, and the south of England except the South West Peninsula; scattered records in the north of EnglandSaperda carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) Large poplar longhorn beetleRussia; from Mongolia west to EuropeEast Anglia and Lincolnshire to Yorkshire; a few records in the Scottish HighlandsSaperda populnea (Linnaeus, 1758) Small poplar borerWestern Palearctic realm: North Africa, Europe, Anatolia, Russia, and KazakhstanPatchy distribution mainly in England, especially southwardsSaperda scalaris (Linnaeus, 1758) Ladder-marked longhorn beetleEurope through central Asia to China and KoreaUncommon; scattered distribution from the English Midlands to ScotlandStenostola dubia (Laicharting, 1784) Lime longhorn beetleEuropePatchy distribution: in the southeast of England and in a broad diagonal swathe from Cornwall to County Durham, including the innermost part of Wales.Tetrops praeustus (Linnaeus, 1758) Plum longhorn beetleFound in most of the western Palearctic realm: Europe, Russia, western Asia, and AlgeriaCommon through England in Yorkshire through to Dorset, excepting the South West Peninsula and LancashireTetrops starkii Chevrolat, 1859Europe, Turkey, and AzerbaijanScattered records in southern England
Subfamily Lepturinae +SpeciesImageDistributionDistribution in BritainAlosterna tabacicolor (De Geer, 1775) Tobacco-coloured longhorn beetleEurasia from Kazakhstan westwards, excluding the LevantCommon in England south of the Humber; patchy distribution from there through to ScotlandAnastrangalia sanguinolenta (Linnaeus, 1761) Blood-red longhorn beetleEurasia from West Siberia westwards, excluding the LevantRare species found only in the Scottish Highlands.Anoplodera sexguttata (Fabricius, 1775) Six-spotted longhorn beetleEurope, Turkey, and AlgeriaRare species with patchy distribution in EnglandDinoptera collaris (Linnaeus, 1758)Europe and western Asia, including Caucasia.Patchy distribution in south east England and the Midlands.Grammoptera abdominalis (Stephens, 1831) Black grammopteraEurope, but not the North nor any of CaucasiaScarce and found only patchily in south east England and the MidlandsGrammoptera ruficornis (Fabricius, 1781) Common grammopteraEurope and western Asia, including Russia and CaucasiaCommon in England and Wales; patchy records from ScotlandGrammoptera ustulata (Schaller, 1783) Burnt-tip grammopteraEurope and western Asia, including CaucasiaA rare species found only sparsely in southern England, the Midlands, and parts of WalesJudolia sexmaculata (Linnaeus, 1758)Europe, in select coniferous forestsRecorded from the Scottish Highlands onlyLeptura aurulenta Fabricius, 1793 Golden-haired longhorn beetleNorth Africa and Turkey to Europe, excluding the NorthScarce and patchily distributed south of the MidlandsLeptura quadrifasciata Linnaeus, 1758 Four-banded longhorn beetleEurope and western Asia, including CaucasiaFound in most of England and Scotland and throughout WalesPachytodes cerambyciformis (Schrank, 1781)Caucasia through Turkey to Europe; absent from northern EuropeIn Wales, neighbouring English regions, and the South West Peninsula; also found in southern England, with scattered records from the North and in ScotlandParacorymbia fulva (De Geer, 1775)Mainly southern and western Europe; also found in Russia and AnatoliaRecords are concentrated in southern Hampshire, parts of the South West Peninsula, and northeastern Norfolk, with isolated records from the Midlands and the Home Counties.Pedostrangalia revestita (Linnaeus, 1767)Europe and TurkeySouth East England and East Anglia onlyPhymatodes testaceus (Linnaeus, 1758)From North Africa, around the through Israel and Iran to Turkey and EuropeCommon through England south of the HumberPseudovadonia livida (Fabricius, 1777) Fairy-ring longhorn beetleEurope and western Asia.Common in parts of southern England and the MidlandsRhagium bifasciatum Fabricius, 1775 Two-banded longhorn beetleEurope, and western AsiaCommon throughout Great Britain, excepting only parts of ScotlandRhagium inquisitor (Linnaeus, 1758) Ribbed pine borerWestern Palearctic realm: Europe, parts of North Africa, and western AsiaScarce and found only in the Scottish HighlandsRhagium mordax (De Geer, 1775) Black-spotted longhorn beetleEurope, Russia, and CaucasiaCommon throughout Great Britain, excepting only parts of ScotlandRutpela maculata (Poda, 1761) Black-and-yellow longhorn beetleEurope and western AsiaCommon through England except in the Pennines and in far southern ScotlandStenocorus meridianus (Linnaeus, 1758) Variable longhorn beetleEurope, western and central Asia, and SiberiaCommon in England, especially in the South and the MidlandsStenurella melanura (Linnaeus, 1758) Black-striped longhorn beetleEurope and western AsiaCommon through southern England and most of the MidlandsStenurella nigra (Linnaeus, 1758)Europe and western AsiaA Rare species with scattered records through southern England and most of the MidlandsStictoleptura rubra (Linnaeus, 1758) Red longhorn beetleFound in Europe, North Africa, and RussiaPatchy distribution in East Anglia and elsewhere south of the Humber, including south WalesStictoleptura scutellata (Fabricius, 1781) Large black longhorn beetlePalearctic realm from North Iran and westwards; absent from northern EuropeA rare species with patchy distribution around London and a few other areas in England south of the HumberStrangalia attenuata (Linnaeus, 1758)Found from Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East through Siberia and central Asia to Europe, Caucasia, and IranReported only in far southern England
Subfamily Prioninae +SpeciesImageDistributionDistribution in BritainPrionus coriarius (Linnaeus, 1758) Tanner beetleFound in forested parts of the Palearctic realm in Iran and westwards.Scarce in Great Britain: sparsely distributed in southern England and in south Wales.
Subfamily Spondylidinae +SpeciesImageDistributionDistribution in BritainArhopalus ferus (Mulsant, 1839) Burnt pine longhorn beetleEurope, North Africa, Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Near East.Patchy distribution in England; more commonly reported from the southArhopalus rusticus (Linnaeus, 1758)Eurasia: Europe to China, including Mongolia and Iran; northwestern AfricaEngland in Yorkshire and southwards, Wales, and the Scottish HighlandsAsemum striatum (Linnaeus, 1758) Pine-stump borerHoloarctic realm: Eurasia and North AmericaPatchy distribution across Great Britain; absent from the South West PeninsulaTetropium gabrieli Weise, 1905 Larch longhornEuropeWales, except the southwest; England, but barely in the South West Peninsula; a few records from Highland Scotland
Introduced species There are a few introduced species of longhorn beetle present in Britain. +SpeciesImageDistributionDistribution in BritainAgapanthia cardui (Linnaeus, 1767)Europe, Egypt, Turkey, and KazakhstanCommon in east Kent; there is also one isolated record from WalesStictoleptura cordigera (Fuessly, 1775) Heart longhorn beetleEurope except for the North; Turkey and western Asia; and LibyaLondon and Essex: multiple records from London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and area, but no farther west from that; found as far east as Thurrock, EssexTetropium castaneum Black spruce longhorn beetleFound in forested parts of the north Palearctic realmPatchily introduced with scattered records from Scotland south to England, not south of London. Believed to be now naturalised.
See also