Phytoecia cylindrica

Length 6 to10 mm. Completely dark leaden grey to black but for the front legs which are almost entirely orange or yellow. Elytra with dense recumbent fine grey pubescence.

Adults are active in hot sunshine on or around umbellifers. Although they are sometimes seen on the flowers it is more productive to search among the stems where they may be seen crawling rapidly up and down.

March to mid July.

An English species with most records south of the Wash and east of the Severn estuary – it is widespread in this area but very local.

Uncommon in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were only 4 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015, and none since 2000.