About Morimus asper (Sulzer, 1776)
Morimus asper (Sulzer, 1776) is a large, massive longhorn beetle that reaches a body length of 15–40 millimetres (0.59–1.57 in). It has a black, elongated, oval body covered in very short gray-brown hair, and its elytra have a grainy texture across the entire surface. Males of this species have more developed antennae than females. One subspecies, Morimus asper funereus, has gray-blue elytra marked with dark spots. The larvae are polyphagous, feeding primarily on deciduous and coniferous trees. Adult Morimus asper can be found from March through October. They feed on bark, leaves, and plant stems, and typically hide during daylight hours. They are active in the evening and at night, which is when most mating and oviposition occurs. Fights between males that cause severe damage are common. This species is widespread in southwestern, southern, and southeastern Europe, including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Corsica, Croatia, France, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Sardinia, Sicily, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Belarus, and Ukraine, as well as in Turkmenistan. Within Spain, it is restricted to the northern fringe, occurring between the provinces of Aragon, Asturias, Burgos, Catalonia, Navarre, and the Basque Country.
