The Great Doll Robber: Rare return after over 100 years!

The Great Doll Robber: Rare return after over 100 years!

The great pupa robber (Calosoma sycophanta) has celebrated an exciting comeback in southern Bavaria! BR.de reports that the beetle has been spotted in various areas in recent weeks, including the Lohwälder in northwest Munich, Bogenhausen, Freising and Landshut. This return is particularly remarkable because the last evidence in Germany dates back over 100 years ago - to be exact, back in 1906!

The large pupal robber has a striking appearance: with its blue-metallic shimmering pronotum and shiny gold carapace, it is almost reminiscent of a small jewel of nature. With a size of 17 to 28 millimeters, this beetle eats butterfly caterpillars and pupae and is therefore a real beneficial insect. As the increase in gypsy and oak processionary moths has become a problem in the region, the beetle has assumed an important role in the ecological balance. These caterpillars can not only damage trees such as oaks and hornbeams, but can also cause allergies - a fact that is due to climate change, which favors these blooms.

State protection and the return of the Great Doll Robber

The Bavarian State Institute for Forestry and Forestry (LWF) has been calling on citizens to report sightings of the beetle since 2018. A call that has already shown initial success: confirmed finds were made both in a garden in Bogenhausen and in a Lohwald in Moosach. The sightings are not only exciting, but are also meticulously documented. For example, a map of the finds will soon be published on the Internet to better understand the distribution of the Great Doll Robber.

Interestingly, it's not just the Great Doll Robber that's causing a stir; The little pupa robber (Calosoma inquisitor) has also been spotted occasionally, although this species remains rare in southern Bavaria. The LWF asks that you report sightings with images and exact locations in order to better record this species. Both species have a busy period in spring and are mainly found in May to June.

Beetles as beneficial insects – an important part of the ecosystem

Beetles not only contribute to nature through their eating habits, but also colonize almost all habitats on earth and play various roles in the natural balance. How Planet knowledge explains, beetles feed on different types of food - be it plant or animal food. They often act as biological pest controllers. For example, ladybirds eat up to 40,000 aphids in their lifetime, while other species, such as the fire beetle, eat bark beetle larvae.

The comeback of the great pupa predator in southern Bavaria is not only a sign of nature's resilience, but also an opportunity for all of us to learn more about nature's diverse and often invisible heroes and to protect them. So anyone who discovers one of these useful beetles should not hesitate to document its appearance - we may be experiencing a renaissance of this fascinating species!