Longhorn on the Giant Fennel

Out in the countryside in Matera in Italy, the dry heat and the scent of herbs surrounds us. I particularly love the impressive flower stalks of Giant Fennel, Ferula communis.

Matera - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

On a stalk I notice a longhorn beetle:

Agapanthia irrorata - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

I love longhorn beetles. I found my first when I was 21 years old and was very excited to find it was an introduced species, coming into the UK with Norwegian wood (and I mean wood from Norway and not the Beatles song).

This is a different species to that one, which I’ve seen here before, but not identified previously.

Agapanthia irrorata - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

It’s relatively small compared to some of the 6cm ones you can find in Italy. This one is Agapanthia irrorata:

Agapanthia irrorata - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Isn’t it a little bit special?

Agapanthia irrorata - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

It lives in the north of Africa and the south of Europe.

Agapanthia irrorata - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

And also in my heart.

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