Rose Chafers

2012 has definitely been a big year for bugs. The UK was cold and grey for month after unforgiving month and the invertebrate world is definitely making up for lost time.

The most recent addition to the insect world my garden has become are an army of Rose Chafers.

Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata

If you’ve never come across one, they’re hard to miss. About the size of a large Bumblebee, with a louder buzz and iridescent Blue/Green (with hints of yellow, purple and red) they are not subtle. Their colouring is the result of Circular Polarisation.


With this beautiful May weather we've been having, it is completely normal for them to be emerging in large numbers however they've decided to ignore the roses their name suggests they should feed upon and have taken up residence on a small Tamarix.

Rose Chafers Mating on Tamarix

 They should start disappearing in the coming days and weeks because, like most insect species, their driving purpose as adults is to reproduce. Once they have eaten, successfully mated and eggs have been laid, they will die.

Rose Chafer eating Tamarix flowers

Some may find them intimidating due to their size and the amount of noise they make but I love the seasonality of them and am pleased I was able to capture the spectacle.

Rose Chafer

Until next time