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On 12. iii this year I collected a larva I found under loose bark on a spruce log on the forest floor. The forest near Copenhagen is predominantly deciduous. I took the larva home to rear it.
Six days later I checked on it and at that time the larva had hidden in a slimy tube covered with earth and debris. On 9. iv I checked again and something had gone terribly wrong. The larva had been about to hatch but had died in the attempt.
Now the question is whether it can be determined further?
It appears the wings would have become mottled, perhaps with a ring-like pattern.

What are the gnarled disc-shaped protuberances on either side of the head?

Regards,

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I do not recognize the genus or species although Limonia was the first thing that came up. The first thing is that larva do not hatch, but the pupa are. You have photographed a pupa with these pronotal horns on both sides and I think I see the adult abdomen sticking out of the pupa, although this is quit unusual, for the pupal skin opens at the thorax. Do you still have the larval skin and what is the size of the pupa?

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Maybe Metalimnobia sp. Larvae live inside fungi growing on trees. Mature larvae migrate in soil near trees or under bark. The form of horns like in Metalimnobia pupae. If so - larvae are large enough, 15-30 mm, pupa about 20 mm.

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Thank you both of you.
I forgot to mention the size. The pupa is only 7 mm so that seems to rule out Metalimnobia sp.
The specimen is male and I'll have a look at the genitalia soon.
The pupal skin has opened down the middle of the dorsum, just like it's supposed to. The part covering the abdomen must have become detached later.

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Hi,
Of course it could be (and probably is) Metalimnobia sp.
The 7mm "pupae" on your picture is only 7mm PART of pupae. Further 13mm is lacking on your photo.
I breeded it (from under the bark of Fungus). See the picture I attached in this thread - some imago have full "pupae" pinned below - you can see and compare the length.:


I have of course specimens that had smaller pupae (about 15mm).

Cheers
Robert Zoralski