Adults about 8–13 mm; mature larvae can reach roughly 43 mm.
Fine-art photographic collection
Agrilus biguttatus
A metallic oak-boring beetle associated with weakened trees.
About this species
Two-spotted oak buprestid
Agrilus biguttatus(Fabricius, 1776)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Agrilus biguttatus is a European jewel beetle whose larvae develop beneath the bark of oak trees. The larvae feed in the living tissues below the bark and can contribute to the decline of already stressed oaks. Adults are metallic and have a characteristic pale spot on each wing case.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Coleoptera · Buprestidae · Agrilus
Accepted · checked 2026-07-15
Europe and parts of North AfricaBroad documented range — not a complete occurrence map.
Native across much of Europe, including Britain, and recorded in North Africa.
Oak woodland and landscapes containing mature or stressed Quercus trees.
Adults are warm-season insects; females place eggs in bark crevices and larvae tunnel beneath the bark.
Larvae feed in oak phloem and cambial tissues; adults feed little and may visit foliage.
Solitary.
What makes this species remarkable?
The two pale marks on the elytra give rise to the name “two-spotted”.
Larval galleries can disrupt the movement of water and nutrients through an already weakened oak.
In warm conditions development may be completed in one year, but it can take longer in cooler climates.