Cerambyx cerdo
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
The Great Capricorn Beetle faces severe population declines across Europe due to the widespread removal of ancient oak trees and fragmentation of old-growth forests. Urban development and intensive forestry practices have eliminated many of the large, mature oak trees that serve as essential breeding sites for this species. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering oak forest ecosystems and potentially disrupting the beetle's lengthy larval development cycle.
Habitat
Cerambyx cerdo inhabits mature oak forests and parklands across Europe, requiring large, ancient oak trees (Quercus species) for breeding and larval development. The species is particularly dependent on old-growth stands with trees over 100 years old, where larvae develop in the heartwood over 3-5 years.