Oxythyrea funesta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oxythyrea funesta |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Cetoniidae
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| Subfamily: |
Cetoniinae
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| Genus: |
Oxythyrea
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| Species: |
O. funesta
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| Binomial name | |
| Oxythyrea funesta (Poda, 1761)
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The Oxythyrea funesta is a type of beetle often called the White-spotted rose beetle. It belongs to a group of beetles known as Cetoniidae. These beetles are phytophagous, which means they mostly eat plants.
You can find this beetle in many parts of Europe. It also lives in the eastern Palearctic realm and the Near East.
Contents
About the White-spotted Rose Beetle
Appearance
The White-spotted rose beetle is usually black. It might have a slightly bronze shine. Most of these beetles have six white spots on their pronotum (the part behind their head). They also have many white spots on their elytra (their hard wing covers).
These beetles are covered in fine white hairs. You can easily see these hairs if you look at the beetle from the side. Older beetles often lose these hairs over time, so they might look smoother.
Life Cycle and Habits
The young beetles, called larvae, can grow up to 30 mm long. They live in the soil and eat plant roots. They can stay in the soil through the winter until the next spring.
Adult beetles start to appear early in the spring. They are about 8–12 millimetres (0.31–0.47 in) long. You can usually see them flying around from May to July.
These beetles are sometimes seen as a pest because of what they eat. They don't just eat pollen from flowers. They also chew on the parts of the flower itself. They especially like to damage light-colored flower buds and open flowers.
Images for kids
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A White-spotted rose beetle.
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Two White-spotted rose beetles mating in Estonia.
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An older White-spotted rose beetle.
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See also
In Spanish: Oxythyrea funesta para niños
