Chrysochraon dispar (Germar, 1834)

Nutrition:
The species feeds on grasses, also herbs and low bushes.

Habitat:
Chrysochraon dispar lives in wet, unmown habitats such as Carex reeds, lake shore reeds, tall herb communities along streams, in glades, clear cuttings, etc. In the Alps, it rises in some places (such as in the western Valais) to 2000 m above sea level and then also inhabits drier habitats. I observed Chrysochraon dispar in drier nutrient-poor grasslands such as Juniperus heathland on the western Swabian Alb (Germany), but only where the grass and herb layer was dense and relative high growing and where first shrubs invaded (2011).

Life cycle:
The adults appear from June/July to October. The eggs are laid above ground in stems (herbs etc.). Thus Chrysochraon dispar is sensitive to mowing.

Endangerment: regionally endangered or decreasing

Endangerment factors:
Chrysochraon dispar is locally distributed (distribution has some gaps) and in places threatened by destruction of unmown structures (agriculture, forestry, also because of orderliness). Nevertheless, it can - in relation to their habitats - be considered to be relatively undemanding and thus not highly threatened.

Remarks:
Chrysochraon dispar occurs from the Pyrenees across Central Europe (in the southeast down to Northern Greece, but missing in most areas of Italy except for the Alps) until well into temperate Asia (Siberia).