Rare beetle reappears in Lithuania after 37-year absence

A rare longhorn beetle, the Macroleptura thoracica, has been rediscovered in Lithuania's Dzūkija National Park, marking its first confirmed sighting in the country in 37 years. The beetle was found in July during biodiversity research in an open continental dune area, a habitat being studied for a master's thesis on beetle diversity in various national park environments with conservation measures.

This rediscovery is particularly significant as only a handful of sightings of this species have ever been recorded in Lithuania. The first known specimen was found in 1934, and another in 1989. Kazimieras Martinaitis, a researcher with the Kaunas Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum and a master's student at Vytautas Magnus University, identified the beetle. His research is part of the LIFE integrated project "Optimization of Natura 2000 Network Management in Lithuania."

The Macroleptura thoracica is closely linked to mature, natural forest ecosystems. Its larvae develop over several years within dead parts of standing deciduous trees, requiring fallen branches or trunks for development. Adult beetles are found on flowers in sunny forest clearings and other open areas rich in blooming plants, where they feed on nectar and pollen.

While the beetle's presence in an open dune area is noteworthy, researchers caution that this single finding is not yet sufficient to directly link its reappearance to recent habitat restoration work in the park. Nevertheless, the discovery adds valuable data to the limited knowledge of the species' distribution in Lithuania and confirms its continued existence within the country.