# Mediterranean Spotted Chafer (*Oxythyrea funesta*) The Mediterranean Spotted Chafer is a small, colorful beetle with beautiful spots. It loves to munch on flowers and is often found in gardens, making it a delightful sight for little explorers! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Mediterranean Spotted Chafer](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Oxythyrea_funesta_-_Pedicularis_sceptrum-carolinum_-_Keila.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oxythyrea_funesta_-_Pedicularis_sceptrum-carolinum_-_Keila.jpg) ## Appearance The Mediterranean Spotted Chafer is a small, stout beetle, typically black with numerous irregular white or yellowish spots covering its elytra and pronotum. It has a slight iridescent sheen, making its dark body sometimes appear greenish or purplish in direct sunlight, distinguishing it from plain dark chafers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Scarabaeidae - **Genus:** Oxythyrea ## Interesting facts - Adult chafers emerge from their underground homes just as summer flowers bloom! - Its babies, called grubs, live underground for over a year before changing! - They are super attracted to bright, sunny flowers, especially white and yellow ones! - This beetle can play dead by falling to the ground if it senses danger! ## Special abilities - **Pollen Powerhouse:** Mediterranean Spotted Chafers can efficiently fly between flowers to gather nectar and pollen, helping plants reproduce. - **Spotlight Camouflage:** It has a dark body with bright white spots that break up its outline, helping it blend into dappled sunlight among leaves. - **Grubby Gardener:** Its larvae live underground, munching on decaying plant matter to grow strong for metamorphosis into adult beetles. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 15-25 mm - **Size:** 8-12 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults love sweet pollen and nectar from flowers, while larvae munch on decaying plants in the soil. - **Age differences:** Larvae feed on decaying organic matter in the soil, while adults consume pollen and nectar from flowers. - **Primary Foods:** pollen, nectar, flower petals, ripe fruit pulp - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Birds like blackbirds prey on adult chafers. - **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Small birds often feast on these beetles. - **Pollinates:** Dog Rose (*Rosa canina*) — Feeds on nectar and pollen, helping the rose reproduce. - **Pollinates:** Common Blackberry (*Rubus fruticosus*) — Visits blackberry flowers for food, aiding pollination. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [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 Be gentle and watch where you step when exploring gardens, as insects are small and can be easily hurt. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mediterranean Spotted 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 Mediterranean Spotted Chafer's wingspan? 15-25 mm ### How big is Mediterranean Spotted Chafer? 8-12 mm ### How long does Mediterranean Spotted Chafer live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Mediterranean Spotted Chafer fly? 10 km/h ### What does Mediterranean Spotted Chafer eat? Adults love sweet pollen and nectar from flowers, while larvae munch on decaying plants in the soil. ### Where is Mediterranean Spotted Chafer usually found? Urban areas ### How does Mediterranean Spotted 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: [Mediterranean Spotted Chafer Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mediterranean-spotted-chafer)