Strange visitor creature

Louy · #1 (**permalink**) 31-05-2011, 09:20 AM

Hi all, newbie here.

Never seen this (uploaded image) creature before.

Need your aid with this one.

Can you let me know what it is please ? Is it ant, or fly, or other ?

Thanks for your time and knowledge.

L

htcdude · #2 (**permalink**) 31-05-2011, 09:25 AM

Hi Louy,

Welcome to the forum!

I presume you mean this photo:

Unfortunately i can't help ID it, but someone will be able to help soon

Nige

Bobbobthebob · #3 (**permalink**) 31-05-2011, 09:33 AM

Rutpela maculata?

Fauna · #4 (**permalink**) 31-05-2011, 09:34 AM

Hi Louy and welcome.

Looks like you have the Longhorn beetle known as Leptura maculata.

Regards Chris...

~T~ · #5 (**permalink**) 31-05-2011, 09:37 AM

Looks like a wood boring beetle of some sort. I found a similar looking one that emerged from some bogwood I bought for my geckos tank. I had it ID'd here but now cant find the thread (the search here is rubbish).

The Woodman · #6 (**permalink**) 31-05-2011, 09:45 AM

I think you've hit the nail on the head, Bob.

However - is it Strangalia maculata, Ruptela m. or Leptura m.??

My Chinery says it was formerly Sm now Rm?

Louy · #7 (**permalink**) 31-05-2011, 11:45 AM

Gosh !

Thanks everyone for replying so fast. I'm extremely impressed.

Thank you for identifying this beetle. I was worried it may be a rogue and dangerous thing from abroad ? or similar, as I had never seen anything like it before.

Thanks again. Really excellent.

L

Matt Smith · #8 (**permalink**) 31-05-2011, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Woodman

I think you've hit the nail on the head, Bob.

However - is it Strangalia maculata, Ruptela m. or Leptura m.??

My Chinery says it was formerly Sm now Rm?

Longhorn Beetle taxonomy is one of the areas with a great deal of flux and too-ing and fro-ing of names and assorted name changes. All the Chinery books were put together over 30 years ago and very little has been done to them since bar a few new covers.

The current name on the UK checklist for this common beetle is Ruptela maculata.

The Woodman · #9 (**permalink**) 31-05-2011, 01:19 PM

Thanks Matt. How time flies! Chinery's Insects of Britain and Western Europe was a revelation to me and I still pull it from the bookshelf as my first choice of general insect ID guide. Lewington's longhorn illustrations are particularly fine. I don't find Chinery's Insects of Britain and Northern Europe so pleasureable to use due to Collins arrangement of the plates.

Similar to other ID tomes bought over the years, for me they are first choices despite more up to date and easily acessible web based resources.

I'll stop rambling now.