For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the U.K.
On sunny days you can sometimes spot these glistening emerald-like beetles in gardens. The beautiful iridescent Rose Chafer beetles can usually be found on rose bushes (hence the name) where they feed mostly on the pollen and nectar. They do sometimes have a nibble on the flowers too, but they do very little harm.
June and July are the peak months of the year for spotting them. Unlike many other chafers they fly with their wing cases in the closed position and look similar to a bumblebee in flight.
The larvae of the Rose Chafer feeds on rotting plant material. In fact, like earthworms, they're very good at producing rich topsoil, and if you want to encourage them to your garden have a nice big compost heap.
These beetles are more common in the southern counties, but it'll be interesting to see how that alters with the changing climate.
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