# Ergates faber

*Ergates faber*

It is one of the largest beetle species in Europe, with its subterranean larvae growing up to 10 centimeters long before pupating.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Cerambycidae › Ergates
- **IUCN Red List status:** Near Threatened
- **Population trend:** decreasing
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Coniferous forests, specifically old-growth pine woodlands with abundant decaying wood
- **Diet:** Larvae feed on decaying coniferous wood; adults do not feed, relying on stored larval reserves
- **Range:** Europe, North Africa, Near East
- **Size:** 25 to 60 mm in length
- **Lifespan:** 3 to 5 years as a larva; 2 to 4 weeks as an adult
- **Active:** crepuscular
- **Threats:** Intensive forestry management, removal of deadwood and stumps, and habitat fragmentation
- **Safe to approach?:** Defensive but harmless. While not venomous, its powerful mandibles can deliver a painful pinch if handled. Observe from a safe distance of a few inches; do not pick up. If bitten, wash the area with soap and water to prevent secondary infection.

## About

Ergates faber is a species of beetle belonging to the family Cerambycidae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Ergates .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/3ea6b332-1a69-4a57-aa1a-0cc634cf66f4
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/341066
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergates faber
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/316192589/medium.jpg (Gilles San Martin, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.