The Rosalia alpina

The blue queen of the woods

The Rosalia alpina is one of Europe's most fascinating beetles: its large size, grey-blue colouring dotted with black and extremely long antennae make it unmistakable. It is the longhorn beetle of the beech tree, a rare species and bioindicator.

The Rosalia alpina is one of Europe's most fascinating beetles: its large size, grey-blue colouring dotted with black and extremely long antennae make it unmistakable. It is the longhorn beetle of the beech tree, a rare species and bioindicator.

Despite its name, it is not exclusively an alpine species: the reference to the Alps comes from a classification made in the 18th century by the Swedish naturalist Linnaeus, but its ideal habitat is mature beech forests and ancient woods, such as the Abetina di Laurenzana.

It lives at altitudes between 500 and 2,000 metres, prefers cool, rainy areas and inhabits dead wood, which favours the development of its larvae. 

Active in summer, it is now a protected species and considered vulnerable, threatened by the disappearance of ancient woods and excessive “cleaning” of forests.