The big doll robber: rare return after over 100 years!

Sichtungen des Großen Puppenräubers in Bogenhausen und Südbayern nach über 100 Jahren: Ein nützlicher Käfer zurück.
Sights of the large doll robber in Bogenhausen and southern Bavaria after over 100 years: a useful beetle back. (Symbolbild/MM)

The big doll robber: rare return after over 100 years!

Bogenhausen, Deutschland - An exciting comeback celebrated the large doll robber (Calosoma Sycophanta) in southern Bavaria! Br.de reports in the past few weeks, including the Lohwälder in northwestern Munich, Freising and Landshut. This return is particularly remarkable because the last evidence in Germany is over 100 years ago - exactly to 1906!

The large puppet robber has a striking appearance: with its blue-metallically shimmering neck shield and the shiny gold, it almost reminds of a small jewel of nature. With a size of 17 to 28 millimeters, this beetle eats butterfly caterpillars and dolls and thus proves to be a real benefit. Since the increase in sponge and oak procession spins in the region has become a problem, the beetle has played an important role in ecological balance. These caterpillars can not only damage trees such as oaks and hornbeam, but also trigger allergies - a fact that is due to climate change that favors these efforts.

the state protection and the return of the great doll robber

The Bavarian State Institute for Forestry (LWF) has called for citizens to report the viewings of the beetle since 2018. A call that showed the first successes: Confirmed finds were made in a garden in Bogenhausen and in a Lohwald in Moosach. The sightings are not only exciting, they are also documented. For example, a map of the finds will soon be published on the Internet in order to better understand the spread of the large doll robber.

Interestingly, not only the big doll robber causes excitement; The small doll robber (Calosoma Inquisitor) was also spotted occasionally, but this species remains rare in southern Bavaria. The LWF asks to report sightings with images and exact locations in order to better capture this way. Both species have an activity -rich time in spring and can be found especially in May to June.

beetle as beneficials - an important part of the ecosystem

beetles not only make a contribution to nature through their eating habits, but also colonize almost all habitats on earth and play different roles in the natural balance. Like Planet Knowledge explains, beetles from different food types-be it vegetable or animal food. They often act as biological pest control. For example, ladybugs destroy up to 40,000 aphids in their lives, while other species such as the fire beetle, bark beetle larvae eat.

The comeback of the great doll robber in southern Bavaria is not only a sign of the resilience of nature, but also an opportunity for all of us to learn and protect them more about the diverse and often invisible heroes of nature. So if you discover one of these useful beetles, you should not hesitate to document your appearance - we may experience a renaissance of this fascinating way!

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OrtBogenhausen, Deutschland
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