the essentials in brief
- The most common large green beetle in Germany is the 15-20 mm large gold rose beetle, also known as the green knight beetle. Other large species of green beetles include gold ground beetles, large pupa predators, green longhorn beetles, and emerald high speed beetles.
- Small green beetles are between 5 and 11 mm in size and go by the names of green tortoise beetles, silky glossy weevils, shiny jewel beetles, green-blue fall beetles and mint leaf beetles.
- A green beetle in the apartment is not a real beetle, but the green stink bug. The broad, oval insect can stink badly, but it is harmless and not poisonous.
Big Green Beetle - Which One Is It?
The gold rose beetle has a golden sheen
In the species-rich microcosm of native beetles, the dividing line between large and small is 10 millimeters. From this height, green beetles cause a sensation when they boast of shimmering metallic color nuances. If the most important facts are known, you can easily identify large green beetles by their appearance. The following table gives an overview of 5 common beetle species in Germany with a weakness for green:
also read
- Identify and control beetles in the house
- Identifying small black beetles - tips for indoors and outdoors
- How does green asparagus grow?
| Big green beetle | Gold rose chafer | Gold ground beetle | Doll robber | Green longhorn beetle | Fast runner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| length | 15-20 mm | 18-32 mm | 20-30 mm | 8-15 mm | 11-15 mm |
| colour | metallic gold-green | shimmering green-gold | blue-green metallic | metallic green shiny | glossy black-green |
| body shape | spherical | elongated | broad-oval | elongated | elongated |
| Deck wing | with white dots | red-yellow border | reddish longitudinally grooved | ribbed, gaping | flat ribbed |
| Special feature | wide flat longitudinal ribs | orange-red legs | blue-purple pronotum | long antennae | orange legs / antennae |
| Botanical name | Cetonia aurata | Carabus auratus | Calosoma sycophanta | Oedemera nobilis | Harpalus smaragdinus |
| Middle name | Green Knight Beetle | Goldsmith | Big doll robber | Blue-green thigh beetle | Emerald fast runner |
The following brief portraits provide informative details about the appearance and habitat of our five large green beetles.
Shiny gold rose chafer (Cetonia aurata)
The most prominent large green beetle in Germany is the almost 2 cm long gold rose beetle. Its stable armor shimmers metallic green-gold, sometimes reddish to purple or blue-black. In addition to the two flat longitudinal ribs and white dots on the wings, a green knight beetle can be identified by the narrow, white transverse bands in the rear third. If a careless rose beetle falls on its back, a reddish-gold underside can be admired.
- Where to find: shrubs, preferably on roses, hawthorn and elder, in forests, meadows and gardens
- When to find: April to September
In the following video you can admire shiny gold rose beetles in action:
Youtube
Gold ground beetle (Carabus auratus)
One of the most beautiful natural jewels in Germany inspires as a green, shiny beetle with a golden shimmer. The red-and-yellow bordered wings are each characterized by three broad, green-gold longitudinal ribs. Strikingly long antennae, the first four limbs of which are colored red, are helpful for determining the gold ground beetle.
- Where to find: fields, meadows, forest edges, less often in the garden
- When to find: April to September
Pupa robber (Calosoma sycophanta)
As a blue-green beetle up to 3 cm in length, the pupa predator can hardly be overlooked. Its trademark is its metallic blue pronotum, picturesquely decorated with a green shimmering border. The gem belongs to the family of ground beetles, regardless of which it also likes to fly on the hunt for caterpillars and other prey.
- Where to find: Forests, parks, large gardens
- When to find: May to September
Green longhorn beetle (Oedemera nobilis)
The green horned beetle is easy to distinguish from other green beetles with its long, narrow body and long antennae
With a length of 8 to 15 mm, the longhorn beetle cannot decide whether it wants to be a large or a small green beetle. In view of its other attributes, it is easy for laypeople to accurately identify the blue-green thigh beetle. Epic long antennae are striking. Its metallic green wings become narrower towards the abdomen. Significantly thickened hind legs are noticeable in males.
- Where to find: meadows, shrubs, bushes
- When to find: April to July
Emerald fast runner (Harpalus smaragdinus)
Emerald-green wing-coverts and agile orange-colored legs characterize the fast runner from the ground beetle family. The orange-brown feelers and tongs are tastefully matched in color. As a complementary ornament, the shiny, black-brown pronotum is provided with an orange border.
- Where to find: biotopes, open land, garden
- When to find: April to September
Digression
Green beetle-look insect
Little Green Beetle - Which One Is It?
The green shield beetle is with bare eye often difficult to see
You have to look carefully if a small green beetle is to be addressed by its real name. With a body size below the threshold of 10 millimeters, a bright green, shiny beetle is clearly ahead in terms of attention. The following 5 beetle dwarfs speak German and can be easily identified by their appearance:
| Little green beetle | Green shield beetle | Silky gloss weevil | Shiny jewel beetle | Green-blue fall beetle | Mint leaf beetle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| length | 7-10 mm | 5-7 mm | 5-8 mm | 6-8 mm | 7-11 mm |
| colour | grass green | shiny green | blue green | gold-green-blue metallic | shiny green-gold |
| body shape | flat-oval | oval-elongated | elongated | cylindrical | plump |
| Deck wing | yellowish flat bordered | dark longitudinal furrows | flat, tightly dotted | finely granulated | markedly dotted |
| Special feature | short, brown legs | long trunk | red gold head | shiny metallic feelers | red-yellow, 2. Antennae |
| Botanical name | Cassida viridis | Polydrusus formosus | Anthaxia nitidula | Cryptocephalus sericeus | Chrysolina herbacea |
| Middle name | Shield beetle | Green weevil | Flower beetle | Silky fall beetle | Shiny mint leaf beetle |
The following short portraits are peppered with further information about the appearance of small green beetles in Germany.
Green turtle beetle (Cassida viridis)
Flat, like a flounder, grass-green wings without a shimmering sheen. A green shield beetle has unmistakably opted for a subtle appearance. In this way, the little beetle makes itself almost invisible when it nibbles on the leaves of mint family, such as hollow tooth and wolf trap.
- Where to find: Wet meadows, swampy biotopes, lake and pond banks
- When to find: May to October
Silky weevil (Polydrusus formosus)
The silky gloss weevil has a silky, shiny body
From the family of Weevil the silky glossy weevil made our list because it decided against the usual black-brown color. The glossy weevil spices up its actually black shell with shiny green scales, orange, green powdered legs and brown-yellow antennae.
- Where to find: deciduous forest, shrubs, in the garden
- When to find: May to August
Shiny jewel beetle (Anthaxia nitidula)
His name is not an empty promise, because a shiny jewel beetle is truly a feast for the eyes. The entire body of males sparkles with metallic green. Females combine a red and gold head for a picturesque appearance. A look at the pronotum removes any last doubts about the beetle species, because it is much wider than it is long.
- Where to find: orchards, forest edges, gardens
- When to find: May to June
Green-blue fall beetle (Cryptocephalus sericeus)
The domestic fall beetle flirts with iridescent metallic colors in green, gold, gold-green, blue to purple. The elytra are more coarsely punctured than the pronotum. The S-shaped, curved edges of the shimmering pronotum are an important aid to identification. Furthermore, the cylindrical body is not completely covered by cover wings.
- Where to find: Meadows, sunny slopes, rarely in the garden
- When to find: May to July / August
Mint leaf beetle (Chrysolina herbacea)
Shiny beetles on the mint are sure to be mint leaf beetles
An iridescent gold-green beetle crawls over Mint species, the species shouldn't be difficult to determine. Whether it is actually a mint leaf beetle is revealed by densely dotted wings and a finely granulated pronotum. In addition, the side edge of a wing cover is only visible up to the middle of the body.
- Where to find: in the garden
- When to find: May to September
Tips
For hobby gardeners who are close to nature, it is a reason to be happy when they are bold Grubs colonize the compost heap. Beetle beauties like gold-shining rose beetles are happy to judge here Rhinoceros beetle their nursery. The mighty larvae with the C-shaped curved body take part diligently in the production of humusby feeding and decomposing the plant debris.
frequently asked Questions
Which big green beetle is similar to a cockchafer?
Rose beetles and cockchafer belong to the scarab beetle family (Scarabaeidae). The botanical relationship is reflected in a similar appearance in terms of size and body shape. This is where the similarities end. Rose beetles shine with a golden-green sparkle shell. In contrast to this, cockchafer with inconspicuous, brown cover wings tend to live beyond the gleam of beetle splendor.
Can rose beetles bite?
Rose beetles are leaf beetles and prefer to feed on sweet plant juices, delicate pollen and velvety flower petals. The mouthparts are already too weakly developed to bite into the strong leaves on roses. For this reason, the magnificent beetles do not even attempt to bite into human skin.
Should you fight big green beetles on roses?
Rose chafer larvae cause great damage in the garden
Adult rose beetles sip nectar, feast on pollen and nibble a little on petals. The gold-green, shiny beetles do not cause any damage worth mentioning. Rather, it is the acceptable price for an important contribution to the ecosystem as a pollinator and humus producer. Give rose beetles a warm welcome to the garden instead of fighting the protected insects.
Tips
The Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) has a free app available for all insect lovers to determine more frequently domestic beetle and other insects. An automatic photo recognition serves as a determination aid. Informative species portraits invite the whole family to take a stroll through our diverse world of insects.