Cucujus cinnaberinus (Scopoli, 1763) is a saproxylic beetle listed in the IUCN Red List and the European Habitats Directive. Although the species is highly protected and often red-listed little is known about its ecological requirements and status of its populations. Therefore, our main aims were to review its current and historical distributions and status of C. cinnaberinus populations in Europe and to determine its recent habitat preferences at the landscape level in the Czech Republic, where the increasing number of records over the last few years indicates a possible increase in abundance of this beetle. Cucujus cinnaberinus is closely associated with soft-wood and broad leaved trees and is able to colonize man-made habitats from persisting local populations if there is a sufficient supply of suitable dead wood. This beetle is not restricted to old-growth forests or even relict woodland, as previously reported, but currently predominantly inhabits abandoned planted stands of trees like lignicultures or avenues, which have an open canopy. Colonization of stands dominated by hybrid poplars probably resulted in the recent increase in the number of records of this species in the central European countries. However, this could present problems for the protection of this species in future, because the trees in these stands are gradually dying and are not being replaced. The decline and extinction of C. cinnaberinus on the northern and southern edges of its distribution was probably caused by the absence of soft-wooded broadleaved trees in intensively managed forests and other more suitable habitats.
Snowball´s chance in hell. Ten Natura 2000 saproxylic beetles formerly occurred in the territory of the Czech Republic. Three of them (Phryganophilus ruficollis, Stephanopachys substriatus, Boros schneideri) are missing (i.e. hell-dwellers), one (Rhysodes sulcatus) is hanging on by the tips of its tarsi (i.e. gateway to hell) and one of them is waiting in the limbo (Rosalia alpina). Four conspicuous and large beetles (Limoniscus violaceus, Osmoderma eremita, Cerambys cerdo, Lucanus cervus) are recently eye-victims of finishing (we hope) forestry vs. nature conservation cold war. Only one (Cucujus cinnaberinus) is probably thriving on in the Czech paradise, however is jeopardized with the Trojan horse effect. Our article is trying ro sweep out the conservationist´s myths from our landscape and try to help to the forestry and nature conservation practice with their protection. Most of the species are recently depended on human caused disturbances, however somewhat distant from the commercial or hands off forestry point of view. Our beetles profit from traditional forest management.