Stenostola

Stenostola

*Stenostola* Dejean, 1835 is a small, robust longhorn beetle of 8–16 mm, clothed in dense grey appressed pubescence that renders it remarkably cryptic against bark. The genus is essentially tied to linden (*Tilia*), with larvae developing in dead or dying branches of standing trees as well as fallen wood of roughly 2–12 cm diameter. Development is subcortical initially — larvae feeding in the inner bark layers — before boreholes penetrate into the sapwood, where pupation takes place in a shallow, often hook-shaped chamber. Adequate wood moisture is critical; larvae perish if the substrate dries out. Adults fly from May to July, and *Stenostola* is considered an indicator of mature, veteran l…

Seasonal activity

Flight season: Summer

Green = active months · Orange = peak

Host plants

Primary hosts: broadleaf

External resources

GBIF · Wikidata · Käfer der Welt

Field tip: In dead branches of deciduous trees. Hosts: Tilia (linden dead branches).