![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-DeiPTgwFhXp5yS4oyyO99jMu1mTW5dlDeXDoVCd4Tuvka0DUOIaLnajELTCavAi5Y0Zw6jvMtoVMshqSr9H0aBrEUV9ZB5f-La66GQxnIVDm9xmORZIGE3sEGYZ61t6BZ1MITMAO7b-/s1600/IMG_1310.jpg)
I was already in the site at dawn and I couldn’t sleep because of the excitement, so I was able to look on the moonset.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWJWewIYCanNHsmgmkYemm-h1eUKulY-fccg3gKWf2cHJb9jfuEoULD_7jN6uFZryJhSavvEKqoO2ry5cC4Y6R4gG36ag9E_KBE3Hlu6UE0X5f-nQlybKbbEBQZCPIz7vh0ipu9PH5LvW/s1600/IMG_1331.jpg)
The first rays of the sun started to heat the canopy of the old trees.
![Quercus robur](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUXvdmb9xGHoQgegGPlNOEPhBOtzYiPfKm8wSQESXLDWDJ4mj7NBPZP2gQbMJcpbXiBSFFd8IPs32atDIUr2YZMBrQa3qhmMHYNQ0PQTfOuudsgnW4SE7GkzQLTVi4BxxHJpzJpiXSTkI/s1600/IMG_1348.jpg)
“Methuselahs” like these can be suitable host trees of the beetle. (Quercus robur L.)
![Lucanus cervus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E9W_c8Yx2bCByV67m9bqBjV6EnwIYkJiaH6l_Uy34-uuNb4sXlWQxJvGsqWDq3hn-7vLGVuHniW7lwV4AnEeiluZ4L_omq9WQd_NtG3pD2gkMSDxOhAoBGbFLMhc6PGmRS90MjMiHUqH/s1600/IMG_1393.jpg)
The time of stag beetles, Lucanus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758), is over. I found dozens of these beetles dead, mostly chopped up by ants.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MNrKS6ZXHPzKK9qClq0JMPGYoZMFROsivrAOBmwW1s0p7SCOpg7iaGrQebfCtoL1Eyv9jaxd9gD0wjBbImLQsa8cG9ev0UIbZmmvLt2_KhsFjeIyy2dlZdMB97JOC77ppcXhN1sNpZu0/s1600/IMG_1391.jpg)
A bit of wood found in the last autumn, full of holes.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkyT5TXrFCkHYp0yqmvb8R-LJfaECDT5-vV671xprS8GfRUZEyqQtBb3Czyorz7g7cuiVa8uu3_JHyNowmGHTu_oxmkASIfWnTJ3TDyDC_mOicFme9zzFHH0-DgDgE8rmERCLUWGMIB_o/s1600/IMG_1396.jpg)
This could be a fresh exit hole of a female.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufdeSEfFkqMbmj4ezQMzl3cPg1y-UsiXLQ4jr1UBKBSwUV3hNEkYdMrY9FExtcs30eRWqsDnsSkvIMJQ8zQ2AaFnDoMewG7kgePBsn4miEy8AplthMeTUklbZioEsXwVYPOp_L34nC0sy/s1600/IMG_1377.jpg)
There are many exit holes on the trunks of almost every old tree gnawed by Cerambyx cerdo Linnaeus, 1758.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmZWALM4Pyozlr6653XAfq9LsUT_G4fAfAUOhkDtKfKwy4BxbDwV1W5N4wVfpFpXU85BhRdduwUdXkJM-99FfbH0_OesDRVK1RVDcvhcKOBBq1_lxUsbXavTqy89eHiFRCP-ZiEmBpirK/s1600/IMG_1388.jpg)
The number of holes suggests a strong population.
![Quercus robur](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7Takmq4JJToCSreu2QlMe8qY2XZDmO3jvBc9FYCn995CbjLluxxtW0mWs0COQHSHnW1jzmyrydSTe2n2CJ6l7bHKpLqFkDPp1Pq_a8kJCGX0dpsOnxktj_4bZG_TKOgfOE3hOJ8ID5ID/s1600/IMG_1411.jpg)
In the morning the sun was rising higher and higher, and the temperature was increasingly hotter, so it was well worth watching the canopy.
![Quercus robur](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrTa97gXRsT-0EeUt35wvGn71OZAW5sejEnEV4I4XYHU9_WxOoaNi_yVxOmam6atCd7JvnTKDnWqgvVH_w4HECOQOxGGsGM35IDTYktkN4_HeEDZF0VhyJ4rg7LF6zj3b4dL1FX2oQtH4/s1600/IMG_1405.jpg)
By standing under the trees, we were watching the launching beetles.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVT-GNa7nxegc-IVm_V3LjTYE1tcdJv869EnC5baoZgLEArHlEMa3Z-vWK8XElpqlbBLCaiPcBRXAOUpBD0NBsg8hKcA0hDAnWvExXsf7T_qFOGVZrFF1ilyA3d9YW1tMnC2YTBCz9rcTR/s1600/IMG_1376.jpg)
The perching beetles may be caught with a long net, because they rarely come down the shrub layer.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLBCf-msBuwThreyl6yNYY8ub8VuoK_s20J3LD4BOt4nzM8NKenJTmRoUbh_aMpx9T_uo9UztLT0OBa8apoz_NghwpfMMdllh2jrUrp0-dmnmryn0QV3neLBf61toq8OkzEiY-NixP3rF/s1600/Euryquer.jpg)
Females are rare in the net. The number of females may be lower than males.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKDlM2smUg_ZF7_E22x3Hq0k1ciY09B6qo0onq-NzuvjoIuaDH5iRM-P7lJDikP-X4tIOtW2J8K5uFLxg3M-sArQazKuXI5p6M_Q3z6YFAeJZqllnD8F5vUY-YmjCfbPtDNTHHWplwpHO/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-male-3.jpg)
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwpBDQh-C3v-a95fu840ls-b_na3UJH149edYCqpmgd39eyadhyphenhypheniBBpP17PbQjs1ntcpRWsvzfWF03wsf3-O2JvOxpXq88dX3YhA4-XEGtfokYCiN7YZnCEQCj26y5RtBSwfPIz0DcqRk/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-female-2.jpg)
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpuaFdfPWes98aWX6mc1Ycib5axhDkUwJ8wIrdWSKvJQikS9JFJkz58fCMcKDdGGciIhPWLH7oA-YUxQPS5NDD3nyERITCBlebGetmgNEI1y3KGtLW7rAkdY4jBlDtQBrYtQU8pQDDWLHi/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-female-3.jpg)
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmThPdk7VpjaQtpqyQpaKJ6PboUQkr0ZKEE33W3xieCp_HrLH_vw_3kHSyTe_L2qmyg9zKnmAxFDSxpz2I0BPTF10OKNdMvj1SfSOaHELegTPOXtLWN8igCBqf7Gvxdhbdl4YeQtod13n/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-female-4.jpg)
The first female is green, with blue legs, and 18mm long.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvt64A41Z36I8M_n7qabtHNXjpYNBJ3mf8v7lAlDRzMEMd0iOQJxvPEfWStFn02OsbPlfjAKCzx3n8CvDkUjxkS7_knxycAXWFs6IqdLnCP8AH9Kwl0daGr2OTCClOVqQuMZN6BK_oRxqG/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-female-6.jpg)
The second is a somewhat reddish and bigger (19mm) specimen.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSt8R0v9AGNgcwZgTmeF30rCP-klscXIoO2HEKscAp6tT1Aix9EVn3Zw0bQX3yyZ7Has3f7Ua-1GbJYLuFcpqxzDsN169dq5OmcPpDB8omDL0aqXNSnjZMXLkMpXUMxiA7xrrvAQG24yA-/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-male-2.jpg)
Males are always smaller, their colour is mostly green.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAl6M2K29aIvFvBkIuUCHgJe_m4Doih8zbv_6CaZbQcqNJJehJslZUtdN1C0bAsv3btECBE6qYKxtlkhNirZA623BEOwk1d3BRKGHK6FGDjeTkO5MH2i773vSTYkW-e0H-PMv4RFYGC-ty/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-male-1.jpg)
Reddish coloured male.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgyZR1ZYOnsR5qCNel5WDLNkjUkoyxO7GluAG_OU4TYduuiAmfEi74q5Jr97xvya0uShuoMVAwRyyt8oEPrqgVCLttNSRGVaUBQgOgtgGpIiVAhbRvpa5aPRLl8oabsnk5atuvEFKRnJR/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-male-4.jpg)
A male with blue elytra.
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bRENeXkOu4kJBSal8Dxcox02vvoVn1JiMyvahlGu0S-RotpHmmykvB9deqcpV4TKcPeHp9whz5HOseXgDtb_DCtHlAFdXDwr27rrCgC8G6-0-j5bwoEgwQqYU1A6pyQWx2IqC4uYqrFi/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-couple-2.jpg)
![Eurythyrea quercus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmB20hQn38WNHzXLTDYyFFxYeZGs_JzGfP0vlHgtxqoReWGUmQhVdQkVMgpnl9zhyXWBC-g6jwHGY_qsBHMvQ-0vs5At5kLYWXTuSnKz3UFImxWDIGHaAF0utl9trnyTv009U488CIrRR/s1600/Eurythyrea-quercus-couple-4.jpg)
The males are flying around the trees, looking for females sitting on the leaves. When they find one, copulation begins immediately.
![Coraebus fasciatus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixd1FvLbqswF5vgz9Rdf_sshIQvCpm5j45QHS3DKo0M99efVQXeHNBC9tLGadfpKHad0NKXFd7AdjJDs_vjYmgLcVVk6JkjykQ0D65G_DJYp2ToiQXnd0Ub6Nq1HmtaG2oWrcfL1WnyHli/s1600/Coraebus-florentinus-1.jpg)
Other species of buprestids live in the canopy of oaks as well: Coraebus fasciatus (Villers, 1789).
![Coraebus fasciatus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6_5n07-vQ4nM5Tx58srKWA966I7cqHURk3htu5ER6rCOCQl416w5CSGL3SXy6Kqa7IC6MDDjhsausaxLjVU-38GlUmUM01Lzgc2M42fJLCeBgHunPmLkEFm7ArkFr-BJNIYjNKqAkiqX/s1600/Coraebus-florentinus-2.jpg)
This male was also caught by net.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmwWEEcpgSYSQaimTdbAzXeUAib8sukjSAV_pcqTkTULKabVYGF0b4pWIq5teZon1938nwJoUUMVZR0OEqyq6ldcF2B7BULZav8DGZjUOYUWXbnHyw16EAxI4948KlwpXekGcQobXSvxj/s1600/IMG_1319.jpg)
After sunset, with the help of torches, we found other beetles:
![Lacon querceus](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMQaGmXrlazZ-ABLaJrvEf_YMWa7_BFjmgGD60vkdfQJYGFwwKLUxuu83-Om9xSSKZP_ibtXJnJGUroHOTQ1XjsCZFDm9UpPC10JWwxjFGpMddJw59gjcr1BCxwP60CoEszvvnQmhaN-9/s1600/Lacon-querceus.jpg)
A rare click beetle: Lacon querceus (Herbst, 1784)
![Prionus coriarius](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-eI-jCT0ENS8U3JIheDAjhtXrSsyADYgLoaqlC3lsfu1l_HaXabeFS7PJSYWoBueWOr42KUsSjI013GnqveQKgoHnhIxzUw-t0jx8AJX23JeE40Vw6P6tbptSMSz0-Za4bTNJGVXOxCVT/s1600/Prionus-coriarius.jpg)
Several specimens of the longhorn Prionus coriarius (Linnaeus, 1758) were also seen.
Translated by O. Merkl & T. Németh