velvet longhorned beetle Trichoferus campestris

Covered in fine, velvety fuzz that gives them their charming name, these longhorns have a distinctly plush appearance compared to their polished relatives. Like all longhorns, the larvae are dedicated wood-workers: they bore through timber for months or even years, creating galleries and weakening branches over time. The adults emerge in late spring and early summer, with surprisingly long antennae that help them find each other in the grass.

Found in open woodlands and field edges across Europe.