Osmoderma barnabita

The species is included in Annex II of the Habitats Directive as a priority species in need of enhanced protection. Included in the international and Lithuanian Red Data Book, protection status category - vulnerable (VU A2c + 3c; B2ab (iii)).

A large, 24-32 mm long dark brown beetle with a slightly greenish metallic sheen. Males are slightly smaller than females and emit a pleasant nutmeg odor.

The life cycle of a beetle is related to old deciduous trees. The larvae develop in the wood of live drooping trees, mostly oaks, affected by red rot for two to three years. In our climate, such a tree trunk has yet to be heated by the sun. Adult beetles are seen in the summer on tree trunks, near groves. Most adult beetles mate in the grove where they grew, leaving the rest to look for old trees suitable for habitat nearby. Only a small proportion of beetles fly more than 500 m from their native tree. Adults live for about a month, presumably not fed. The habitats of the species are groups of deciduous trees that are well lit, have exceeded their natural maturity and have stem rot. These can be old forests, old parks, deserts, alleys, tree-covered pastures, single trees growing in the fields.

The survival of the Hermit beetle is threatened by the declining area of suitable habitats and their deteriorating quality. The main threats are the death or logging of old trees, overgrowing of habitats with shrubs or young trees. The protection of the species is achieved by preserving old trees in and near known beetle habitats, implementing nature management measures to improve the growth conditions of old trees.

Lithuanian Red Data Book, 2021