Anthaxia hungarica

Description

Anthaxia hungarica is a species of polyphagous beetle in the family Buprestidae common in Europe. It is thelargest European species of the genus Anthaxia, at up to 15 mm in length. Its coloration is bright green, gold, blue or violet; female has purple forehead, sides of pronotum, and entire underside. Males have longer antennae and dilated hind femurs. The larvae perforate branches and trunks of Quercus (Quercus ilex, Quercus pubescens Quercus coccifera), normally acting as a secondary parasite, that is, it develops on diseased or dyingtrees, but can attack young trees causing their death. Adults fly in full sun in spring and summer and feed on pollen, especially Compositae. Anthaxia hungarica is typical of the circum-Mediterranean area reaching southern Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic ; in the east it extends into Anatolia, southern Russia, andIran. Anthaxia is a genus of beetles in the family Buprestidae.