'Cinnabar' Beetle
Latin: Cucujus cinnaberinus (Scopoli 1763)
Svenska: Cinnoberbagge
Deutsch: Scharlachroter Plattkäfer
Shining in the sun
In the month of May, this shiny red beetle creeps out and on to aspen trees. It prefers trees that have recently died, and it sits and tries to attract a mate. Then, it will lay its eggs in the sap.
This beetle is Uppland’s county insect, and has been protected since 1944 within Uppsala county. Uppland has the largest population of Cucujus cinnaberinus in all of Scandinavia. If you want to catch a glimpse of this beetle, you should head to Pansarudden, Fiby Urskog, or Färnebofjärden national park in late May.
The larvae live for two years within old dead aspens before they show themselves. The beetle is easiest to see in May when it creeps out onto aspen stumps.
Photo: Rune Axelsson, Sveriges Entomologiska förening
Latest sightings of Cucujus Cinnaberinus in Uppland
Wikipedia page on the Cucujus cinnaberinus beetle