Garden chafer

Phyllopertha horticola, the garden chafer or garden foliage beetle, is a beetle from the family Scarabaeidae.

This rather common species is widely widespread in Europe and in Asia, east to Siberia and Mongolia. In the north of Europe their distribution reaches the middle Fennoscandia and includes the British Isles, in southern Europe it mainly occurs in the mountains. It is the only European representative of the genus Phyllopertha.

These beetles inhabit bushes, hedgerows, woodland edges, meadows and fields, from the lowlands to mountainous areas. They also live in parks and gardens, hence the common name of garden chafer. (Wikipedia)

Your comments are very welcome.

Vincent the bug has an expensive metallic finish. Very nice. Kind regards, Franz

Hi Franz,

 

the shield of this beetle is beautiful indeed. Thanks for your comment and appreciation! Kind regards, Vincent

Vincent, although the beetle's underside may be vulnerable, clearly its other side is so well armored that enemies dare not try to penetrate it. Although its colors are dark, they seem to suit the beetle well. Inasmuch as your lens demanded a very small focus area, clearly it worked in showcasing the beetle's detail. If only I had your skill set . . . - - My best always, michael

Hi Michael,

 

thank you for these observant comments! I think there isn't much about my 'skill set' that you really need for your photography; we share interests and passions, but have a completely different approach. That's what makes looking at others' photos closely so instructive. Kind regards, Vincent