Rose chafer of the scarab beetles family is indigenous to the United Kingdom. Mostly spotted in summer and autumn, these beetles thrive on rose flowers, accounting for their name.
Size: 20 mm (0.78 inches)
Color: They have a metallic green body, marked with small white lines running irregularly all over their body. While the undercol3s have a coppery tinge, the upper part is mostly violet, bronze, grey, bluish-black, or copper.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a v-shaped scutellum that is one of the key identifying features. It also differentiates them from the closely similar noble chafer where the scutellum resembles an equilateral triangle.
The white grub-like larvae have a c-shaped appearance with a small head, miniature-sized legs, alongcol3 a hairy, wrinkly body. The larva mostly feeds on rotting wood, leaf mold, manure, or compost, overwintering there. They molt twice, and their lifecycle lasts for approximately two years.
Though not much is known about the pupa’s description, the pupation stage occurs between June and July.
The small oval-shaped eggs appear white. The females lay them in the soil in clusters of 6 and 40, depositing each one of them in a separate enclosure. They hatch in about three weeks from being laid.
| Other Names | Green rose chafer |
| Adult lifespan | 3 – 4 weeks (females die right after laying eggs) |
| Duration of larval stage | 1 – 2 years |
| Distribution | Throughout southern and central Europe, the southern part of the UK (though rare in Wales and England), as well as in South East Asia |
| Habitat | Woodlands, grasslands, moorland, gardens, farmlands |
| Common Predators | Birds, wasps, spiders |
| Seasons active from | May – July (though occasionally till late September too) |
| Host Plants | Mostly rose, and peonies even found on grape, birch, apple, and cherry trees |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Larvae: Decayed leaves, plants, and roots Adults: Flower blossoms and foliages of several trees |
The adult rose chafer species cause immense damage to the rose and other flowers, marring their beauty by making big irregular holes in them. Some even feed on the foliage, ending up skeletonizing the leaves completely while consuming their tissues.
You can set traps to catch these beetles or even handpick a few and throw them into soapy water. This organic control method can help if your garden is not heavily infested. However, large numbers of these beetles can only be combated by using pesticides. A floating row cover or cheesecloth may even help to lessen their numbers.
Image Source: growveg.co.uk, animal.photos, i.pinimg.com, laidbackgardener.files.wordpress.com, amentsoc.org, farm1.staticflickr.com, canr.msu.edu, rspbgravesend.org.uk
Rose chafer of the scarab beetles family is indigenous to the United Kingdom. Mostly spotted in summer and autumn, these beetles thrive on rose flowers, accounting for their name.
Size: 20 mm (0.78 inches)
Color: They have a metallic green body, marked with small white lines running irregularly all over their body. While the undercol3s have a coppery tinge, the upper part is mostly violet, bronze, grey, bluish-black, or copper.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a v-shaped scutellum that is one of the key identifying features. It also differentiates them from the closely similar noble chafer where the scutellum resembles an equilateral triangle.
The white grub-like larvae have a c-shaped appearance with a small head, miniature-sized legs, alongcol3 a hairy, wrinkly body. The larva mostly feeds on rotting wood, leaf mold, manure, or compost, overwintering there. They molt twice, and their lifecycle lasts for approximately two years.
Though not much is known about the pupa’s description, the pupation stage occurs between June and July.
The small oval-shaped eggs appear white. The females lay them in the soil in clusters of 6 and 40, depositing each one of them in a separate enclosure. They hatch in about three weeks from being laid.
| Other Names | Green rose chafer |
| Adult lifespan | 3 – 4 weeks (females die right after laying eggs) |
| Duration of larval stage | 1 – 2 years |
| Distribution | Throughout southern and central Europe, the southern part of the UK (though rare in Wales and England), as well as in South East Asia |
| Habitat | Woodlands, grasslands, moorland, gardens, farmlands |
| Common Predators | Birds, wasps, spiders |
| Seasons active from | May – July (though occasionally till late September too) |
| Host Plants | Mostly rose, and peonies even found on grape, birch, apple, and cherry trees |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Larvae: Decayed leaves, plants, and roots Adults: Flower blossoms and foliages of several trees |
The adult rose chafer species cause immense damage to the rose and other flowers, marring their beauty by making big irregular holes in them. Some even feed on the foliage, ending up skeletonizing the leaves completely while consuming their tissues.
You can set traps to catch these beetles or even handpick a few and throw them into soapy water. This organic control method can help if your garden is not heavily infested. However, large numbers of these beetles can only be combated by using pesticides. A floating row cover or cheesecloth may even help to lessen their numbers.
Image Source: growveg.co.uk, animal.photos, i.pinimg.com, laidbackgardener.files.wordpress.com, amentsoc.org, farm1.staticflickr.com, canr.msu.edu, rspbgravesend.org.uk
