Europe and western Asia.
Fine-art photographic collection
Cetonia aurata
A living metallic mirror that flies without opening its wing cases.
About this species
Rose Chafer
Cetonia aurata(Linnaeus, 1758)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
The rose chafer’s brilliant colour is generated by microscopic optical structure rather than ordinary green pigment. Its flight mechanism is equally unusual: the hardened wing cases remain closed while the flight wings extend through side openings.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Coleoptera · Scarabaeidae · Cetonia
Accepted species; English common name follows established GBIF/UK usage. · checked 2026-07-15
Europe and western AsiaBroad documented range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
Flower-rich grassland, gardens, woodland edges and places with decaying organic matter for larvae.
Adults are most often seen in late spring and summer.
Adults feed on pollen, nectar and flowers; larvae feed in decaying wood or rich organic matter.
Solitary.
What makes this species remarkable?
It flies with the elytra held shut, unfolding its membranous wings through notches at the sides of the body.
Microscopic twisted layers in the cuticle reflect circularly polarised light, creating a metallic colour with optical properties invisible to human eyes.
The white grubs spend years converting rotten wood and compost into smaller organic particles before the short-lived adult emerges.
Sources and scientific references
More photographs
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