Stenocorus meridianus

A large and distinctive but apparently variably-coloured beetle.

This was found resting on a hazel leaf. Although this species is described as unmistakeable, as this was my first I felt it was worth taking through Duff's key. I find keying longhorn beetles quite tricky and this was no exception. In the subfamily Lepturinae key the pronotum side didn't seem to be quite as described or illustrated for the first route to tribe Rhagiini and the second route to that tribe also failed as the genae were too wide. Anyway, other alternatives failed sooner or later and the Rhagiini key led to this species, which by now I was already pretty sure was the correct ID.

Stenocorus meridianus showing side of head, side of pronotum, fore coxae and tips of elytra, Rush Meadow (Norfolk, UK), 21st June 2024