Saperda

Saperda

*Saperda* Fabricius, 1775 is a genus of robust, medium to large longhorn beetles (10–30 mm) whose dense grey-green or yellowish pubescence renders them remarkably cryptic against bark. With 40 species across the Palaearctic and 10 in Europe, the genus is most strongly associated with broadleaved trees of the families Salicaceae, Betulaceae, and Ulmaceae, where larvae bore through bark into living wood. Development typically spans two to three years, with larvae excavating extensive subcortical galleries before pupating in a cell cut into the heartwood. *Saperda carcharias*, the Poplar Borer, is an EPPO A2-listed pest of significant economic importance in poplar plantations across Europe and …

Seasonal activity

Flight season: Summer–Autumn

Green = active months · Orange = peak

Host plants

Primary hosts: oak beech poplar

External resources

GBIF · Wikidata · Käfer der Welt

Field tip: On living poplars and willows (May–Aug). S. carcharias — poplar pest; look for exit holes on trunks.