Rose chafers are capable of fast flight; they fly with their wing cases down. They feed on
pollen,
nectar, and
flowers, especially
roses. They can be found among roses on warm sunny days from May until June or July, and occasionally as late as September. Rose chafers are found in southern and central Europe and in the southern part of the
United Kingdom, where they sometimes seem to be very localized. They can also be found in South East Asia, in the countryside and outlying islands of
Hong Kong. They are a beneficial
saprophagous species (
detritivores).
Life cycle The
larvae are C–shaped and have a firm, wrinkled, hairy body, a small head, and tiny legs. The larvae overwinter wherever they have been feeding, which may be in
compost,
manure,
leaf mould, or rotting wood. They grow very quickly and will have moulted twice before the end of autumn. They have a two-year
life cycle. They
pupate in June or July. Some adult beetles may emerge in autumn, but the main emergence is in spring, when the beetles mate. After mating, the female beetles lay their
eggs in decaying organic matter and then die.
Colouration The metallic green
coloration of the beetle is created
structurally, by the reflection of mostly
circularly-polarised light; like other scarabs, this is left circularly polarised: It has been described as a left-hand narrow-band
elliptical polariser. ==Gallery==