Oedemera

Greenish bill longhorn beetle ( Oedemera lurida )

Oedemera is a genus of beetles in the family of the bill longhorn beetle ( Oedemeridae ). There are about 80 species are known; The genus is distributed from North Africa to Kamchatka, Japan and Taiwan. 38 species occur in Europe.

Features

The beetles are 5 to 20 millimeters long, have a long and narrow body and are very hairy. The rearward most narrowing elytra are different colored, so that the hind wings are visible. Some species are colored in metallic, other two-tone black and yellow, some are black and brown. The mandibles are split at the top, the last segment of Maxillarpalpen is thin and elongated, the antennae are long, with the second term is small. The prothorax is heart-shaped with clear wells on the sides. The front rails have two apical spines. In most species, the hind legs of the male are greatly thickened. The claws of the tarsi are not perforated.

Occurrence

The animals are found throughout the Palearctic and live near forests and flower-filled meadows.

Way of life

The adults are pronounced visit flowers and feed on pollen. Through her hair, the pollen grains are held, thereby contributing to pollinate their host plants. The larvae feed on plant tissue.

The species of the subgenus Oncomera fly at dusk and at night and visiting the flowers of trees and shrubs such as clematis, hawthorn, linden and oak trees. In contrast, the species of the genera Stenaxis and Oedemera s.str. diurnal and visit flowers of different plant families such as Compositae, Umbelliferae or rock-rose families.

Types (selection)

• Common Slip -horned beetles ( Oedemera femorata )
• Oedemera flavipes
• Greenish bill longhorn beetle ( Oedemera lurida )
• Oedemera lateralis
• Green Sparkle longhorn beetle ( Oedemera nobilis)
• Grey Green beetle leg ( Oedemera virescens)

Subgenus Oncomera

• Oedemera femoral

Subgenus Stenaxis

• Oedemera annulata