The Cinnabar-Red Flat Bark Beetle (Cucujus cinnaberinus)
Cucujus cinnaberinus is a saproxylic beetle distributed throughout the Europe, sometimes associated with old growth forests. Listed as near threatened in the IUCN red list, 306 Natura 2000 sites are designated for its conservation. In central Europe, its abundance and distribution have been increasing recently. However, in the surrounding areas population sizes and the number of inhabited sites are in decline due to intensive forest management and removal of naturally occurring deadwood from the forests. Habitat fragmentation and isolation of remaining populations are also a factor. Larvae live and overwinter under the bark of both deciduous and coniferous trees and are reported to be sparoxylophagous with predatory tendencies. Adults are active in May – June. Species prefers lowland, open canopy soft-wood forests near the streams and rivers. Newer results in Czech Republic of species habitat preferences state that it is more likely for this species to colonize lignicultures and riparian stands as opposed to commercial forests and forest remnants.
