Colour illustration of imago.
Subspecies
No information has been entered yet.
Synonyms
Elater sanguinolentus
Ampedus sanguinolentus
Ampedus sanguinolentus
Identification
Body length between 9 to 12 mm. Usually the
black patch on the elytra is very pronounced, much more so than in
related species, e. g. Ampedus sanguineus and Ampedus pomorum. However,
this is variable and specimens with a very reduced black patch are
difficult to separate from similar Ampedus species by colouration alone.
Distribution
Widely distributed throughout Europe and Asia, but apparently never a frequent or common species anywhere.
Biology
The species prefers humid deciduous or mixed forests. The females
deposit their eggs in white rot trunks of deciduous trees (oak, beech,
alder), but there are also reports of specimens under conifer bark (e.g.
Bernhard 2003). The soft and fibrous rotten wood is the ideal substrate for the entire development of the species.