# Garden Chafer (*Phyllopertha horticola*) The Garden Chafer is a shiny green beetle that loves to munch on flowers and plants. They are often seen buzzing around gardens during the warm months, making them a fun sight for little explorers! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens ![Garden Chafer](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Escarabajo_%28Phyllopertha_horticola%29%252C_Hartelholz%252C_M%C3%BAnich%252C_Alemania%252C_2020-06-21%252C_DD_46-56_FS.jpg&width=800) Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Escarabajo_%28Phyllopertha_horticola%29%252C_Hartelholz%252C_M%C3%BAnich%252C_Alemania%252C_2020-06-21%252C_DD_46-56_FS.jpg) ## Appearance The Garden Chafer has an iridescent metallic green head and thorax, sharply contrasting with its dull brown wing cases. Its body is also covered in fine, pale hairs. This distinct colour pattern helps differentiate it from other beetles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Scarabaeidae - **Genus:** Phyllopertha ## Interesting facts - Adult Garden Chafers live for just one month, but they get busy quickly! - Garden Chafers fly clumsily, often bumping into things as they zoom around! - Grubs live underground for two years, eating roots before they become beetles! - Many grubs can make lawns look plowed, like pigs dug them up! ## Special abilities - **Underground Tunnelers:** Garden Chafer larvae can tunnel through soil using strong C-shaped bodies, helping them find food and shelter underground easily. - **Quick Flight Escape:** Garden Chafer can quickly escape danger by unfurling delicate hindwings from under its hard shell, allowing for rapid flight. - **Plant Power Chewer:** Garden Chafer has powerful mandibles for chewing, allowing adults to munch plant leaves and larvae to devour tough roots. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 15-25 mm - **Size:** 8.5-12 mm - **Lifespan:** 21-28 days - **Flight Speed:** 5-15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adult Garden Chafers munch on leaves and flower petals, while their larvae feast on plant roots underground! - **Age differences:** Larvae feed on roots underground, while adults emerge to eat leaves and flowers above ground. - **Primary Foods:** Grass roots, Cereal crop roots, Garden plant leaves, Flower petals - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Adults are a tasty snack for many garden birds. - **Eats:** [European Mole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-mole) (*Talpa europaea*) — Mole tunnels often reveal grubs, a key food source. - **Depends on:** [Kentucky Bluegrass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/kentucky-bluegrass) (*Poa pratensis*) — Larvae feed on roots, sometimes causing significant damage. - **Eats:** Dog Rose (*Rosa canina*) — Adult beetles consume leaves and petals of various plants. ## Traits - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low While they are harmless, it's best to watch them without touching. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Garden Chafer? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Garden Chafer's wingspan? 15-25 mm ### How big is Garden Chafer? 8.5-12 mm ### How long does Garden Chafer live? 21-28 days ### How fast can Garden Chafer fly? 5-15 km/h ### What does Garden Chafer eat? Adult Garden Chafers munch on leaves and flower petals, while their larvae feast on plant roots underground! ### Where is Garden Chafer usually found? Gardens ### How does Garden Chafer hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Garden Chafer: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-chafer)