Black Spotted Long Horned Beetle-Rhagium Mordax

Introducing the Black Spotted Long Horned Beetle! A not so little beetle friend we found whilst camping at the weekend. This is the first time I’ve spotted one of these and to me, it looks like something out of a sci – fi film. After posting the image on a local nature identification site however, it was quickly identified as a Rhagium Mordax and not an extra-terestial as I first thought!

Macro shot of a black spotted long horn beetle, Rhagium Mordax

About Long-horned beetles

According to Coleoptera.org, an UK Beetle recording site, there are more than 30,000 species of long-horned beetles worldwide. 69 of these are native to the UK. The one we saw in Wales, is a Black Spotted Long Horned Beetle, Rhagium Mordax.

Characteristics of a Black Spotted Long Horn Beetle – Rhagium Mordax

Long-horned beetles are bigger in size compared to other beetles. I found this to be true, the size of this thing is what surprised me the most!
The body has a yellowy-brown mottled colouring and on each side of the wing case there is a black spot.
The antennae is shorter than other species of long-horned beetles.

Side view macro shot of a black spotted long horned beetle, Rhagium Mordax.

Where can you see long horned beetles?

Long horned beetles are widespread in the UK. They can be seen from April to August. On a sunny day look in areas where there is plenty of wood for the beetle to feast on, log piles, old tree stumps etc. Hedgerows and Hawthorn Blossom is also another good place to seek out some of these beetles.

We were in the middle of a field packing up from camping when we spotted our beetle friend. Near to him/her was a bag of wood for the camp fire and there was also some large, dead tree branches nearby. I think he must of come from one of these.

For more help on identifying the different long horned species and information on where to find them I highly recommend visiting DiscoverWildlife.com.