Rose chafer, Cetonia aurata
Rose chafer, Cetonia aurata © AnnaKika, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
The rose chafer is fairly common throughout the UK and is a sun-loving beetle. The adults, which are up to 2cm long, have a lustrous metallic sheen. They are fairly variable in colour, typically ranging from dark green through to a more golden-green.
From early summer onwards, adults can often be seen feeding from open flowers, particularly roses. They are very quick to fly off if disturbed.
Where they are found in large numbers, their larvae help to make very good compost as they feed on decaying leaves and vegetable matter.
