ID for a green beetle please

[Rambling Rob]

This metallic green beetle shone out from a buttercup this morning, perhaps having spent the night there, on the cliff top at Yaverland, IoW.



The nearest match I can find is the Dead-Nettle Beetle, Chrysolina fastuosa, common in Southern Europe and also found in UK.

Does that seem reasonable?

Thanks for looking,
Rob

[Hedera]

What a beauty! Lovely picture.

[iainL]

Looks like some sort of Cryptocephalus sp.

Iain

[Rambling Rob]

Thanks Hedera, Iain,

There are loads of small metallic green beetles on flowers at the coast now but most are smaller and slenderer than this one.

I hadn't come across Cryptocephalus and it looks a distinct possibility.

All the best,
Rob

[Rossco]

This is definitely a Cryptocephalus species.

There are two species it could be: C. hypochaeridis or C. aureolus. It can be quite difficult to separate the two species when they're not side by side, but the latter is the larger of the two and is less variable in colour. C. hypochaeridis can be metallic green, reddish or bluish.

By its size, this one looks like C. aureolus.

As a group, they are very interesting beetles. Take a look at this post on my blog:

Mobile homes Scrubmuncher's Blog

[Rambling Rob]

Thanks for the link to that fascinating life history, Rossco. Interesting beetles indeed, and I reckon you are right with Cryptocephalus aureolus, Rob