The leather beetle, which thrives in old, hollow trees abundant in the Haspengouw landscape, lives largely hidden within the soft, decayed wood inside tree cavities and rarely shows itself, making it particularly difficult to detect.
Given that historical observations primarily come from Haspengouw and the Land of Herve, it is possible the species also occurs in Tongeren-Borgloon. Citizens who see or photograph such a rare beetle are encouraged to report their findings.
Reporting sightings can help better map this rare Haspengouw inhabitant. Furthermore, the discovery highlights the importance of cherishing old pollarded trees, high-stem orchards, and other hollow trees, which can be invaluable for rare wildlife.
Anyone spotting a leather beetle is asked to save a photo and report the sighting to arno.thomaes@inbo.be.
