The Violet Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata) is an insect in the Scarabaeidae family of beetles. It is a scarab beetle.
The Violet Rose Chafer can be metallic green, bronze, copper, violet, grey, or blue-black. It has a metallic green V-shaped area between its wing cases (elytra), called a scutellum. Its underside is a coppery-brown colour.
It grows to about 2 centimetres (less than one inch) in length.
It is common across Europe, and it can also be found in east Asia. It can be seen from May to August in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Violet Rose Chafer feeds on pollen and nectar from flowers, especially roses.
The female lays eggs in decaying vegetation. She dies after laying her eggs. The eggs hatch into C-shaped larvae (grubs). The larvae feed on leaf litter and grow very quickly. They undergo metamorphosis when they pupate and adult beetles emerge in spring.
The life span of the Violet Rose Chafer is about 2 years.
Location of photographs: Paris, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM