# Alpine longhorn Rosalia (*Rosalia alpina*) The Alpine longhorn Rosalia is a beautiful beetle with long, colorful antennae. It loves to live in forests and is known for its striking blue and black colors that help it blend in with flowers and trees. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Alpine longhorn Rosalia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rosalia_Alpina_%28Alpenbock%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Peter Krimbacher, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosalia_Alpina_%28Alpenbock%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Alpine longhorn Rosalia is a strikingly beautiful beetle, featuring a blue-grey body with distinct black spots, resembling a mosaic pattern. Its exceptionally long, segmented antennae are also banded in blue-grey and black, making it highly recognizable and different from most other beetles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Cerambycidae - **Genus:** Rosalia ## Interesting facts - Finding this beetle means the forest is super healthy and has lots of old, decaying trees. - It's one of Europe's most famous protected insects because it's so rare and special. - Its larvae live inside dead wood for up to four years before finally emerging as adult beetles! - Males often guard females on logs to protect them from other males, quite the romance! ## Special abilities - **Forest Camouflage:** Alpine longhorn Rosalia has striking blue-grey and black patterns that help them blend perfectly with lichen-covered beech bark, avoiding predators. - **Antennae Touch & Scent:** Alpine longhorn Rosalia can detect mates and food sources using their incredibly long, segmented antennae that sense vibrations and chemicals. - **Wood-Boring Power:** Young Alpine longhorn Rosalia can tunnel through tough, decaying wood because of their strong mandibles, which help them eat and grow. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 30-76 mm - **Size:** 15-38 mm - **Lifespan:** 45-90 days - **Flight Speed:** 10-20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip tree sap, while their larvae munch through decaying wood for years. - **Age differences:** Larvae are xylophagous, feeding on decaying wood. Adults feed on tree sap, especially from damaged trees. - **Primary Foods:** Tree sap, Decaying beech wood, Decaying elm wood, Decaying ash wood, Decaying hornbeam wood - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [European Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-beech) (*Fagus sylvatica*) — Larvae bore into its decaying wood. - **Eaten by:** [European Green Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-green-woodpecker) (*Picus viridis*) — Woodpeckers find larvae in wood. - **Eats:** Small-leaved Lime (*Tilia cordata*) — Larvae also feed on its dead wood. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Horned](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/horned): Characterized by having one or more hard, permanent, pointed projections on the head. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch insects, as some can be delicate or might bite. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Alpine longhorn Rosalia? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Alpine longhorn Rosalia's wingspan? 30-76 mm ### How big is Alpine longhorn Rosalia? 15-38 mm ### How long does Alpine longhorn Rosalia live? 45-90 days ### How fast can Alpine longhorn Rosalia fly? 10-20 km/h ### What does Alpine longhorn Rosalia eat? Adults sip tree sap, while their larvae munch through decaying wood for years. ### Where is Alpine longhorn Rosalia usually found? Forests ### How does Alpine longhorn Rosalia hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Matese National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/matese-national-park) — IT · Park - [Aspromonte National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aspromonte-national-park) — IT · Park - [Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/foreste-casentinesi-monte-falterona-and-campigna-national-park) — IT · Park - [Naturpark Obere Donau](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/upper-danube-nature-park) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park - [Sirente–Velino Regional Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sirentevelino-regional-nature-park) — IT · Park - [Appennino Lucano–Val d’Agri–Lagonegrese National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/appennino-lucanoval-dagrilagonegrese-national-park) — IT · Park [View all places to see Alpine longhorn Rosalia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/alpine-longhorn-rosalia) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Alpine longhorn Rosalia: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/alpine-longhorn-rosalia)