Mediterranean Spotted Chafer

Oxythyrea funesta

Though sometimes disliked by gardeners for nibbling rosebuds, they are important pollinators that help wild meadows flourish.

Scientific name: Oxythyrea funesta
Taxonomy: Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Scarabaeidae › Oxythyrea
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern
Population trend: stable
Biome: grassland
Habitat: Flower-rich meadows, grasslands, forest edges, gardens, and shrublands.
Diet: Pollen, nectar, and buds of various flowering plants, especially light-colored blooms.
Range: Europe, North Africa, Middle East
Size: 8 to 12 mm in length
Lifespan: 1 year
Active: diurnal
Threats: Widespread pesticide use in agriculture and home gardens, and habitat loss from intensive mowing.
Safe to approach?: This beetle is completely harmless to humans. It cannot bite or sting. You can safely observe it at close range or allow it to crawl on your hand. If you wish to move it, gently nudge it onto a nearby flower.

Oxythyrea funesta is a phytophagous beetle species belonging to the family Cetoniidae, subfamily Cetoniinae.

Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist