One of our members Foggy asked me to post this picture of a beetle of unknown species found in Surrey to see whether anyone here could ID it (as there was a problem with the upload to the gallery).

It's a beautiful beetle, any ideas what it is?

It looks like a Rosemary Leaf beetle. If it is, it is a pest from the Mediterranean.

Kingfisher

Looks like a festive beetle to me
It's very pretty though. Kingfisher, I'm intrigued how do you know so much about beetles?

Looks like a festive beetle to me
It's very pretty though. Kingfisher, I'm intrigued how do you know so much about beetles?

There are some beautiful iridescent beetles found here in the US...sadly, it seems that most of them eat things which make them 'pests' to us humans!

I should have mentioned that the Rosemary Leaf Beetle probably does not consider itself to be a pest, just us humans think of it that way.

Somewhere in the house I have a beautiful specimen of an iridescent beetle, which I found on one of my walks through the woods (it was already a deceased beetle, just in case anyone wonders). I will see if I can figure out what I did with it, and get a photo.

Kingfisher

The nearest I can find is a ' Rose Chafer' mostly found down South. I know this pic does not shown exact colours but it says it can come with other colours on it.One snippet I read said it could have violet on it.
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This post was last modified: 26-10-2007 08:22 AM by tibbar.

I think I'm still going with Rosemary Leaf Beetle. Xeract, does Foggy know how large this beetle was?

http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collecti...eafbeetle/

Kingfisher

It does look very much like the Rainbow Leaf Beetle. However, according to the AA Book of Britain's Countryside its sole British location is on patches of thyme on Snowdon's highest slopes.

Rainbow Leaf and Rosemary Leaf beetles are quite similar...but the Rainbow Leaf Beetle is actually on the endangered list.

So, if this beetle was found on Snowdon on wild thyme, Rainbow Leaf.

Otherwise, I'm going with Rosemary Leaf .

Kingfisher

Hopefully foggy can come on a clear up where the beetle was found and how large it was, it is very intriguing.

I think that Kingfisher got my vote & to think the possible answer was so close to home , about 2.5 miles actually!!!!!!!!!

Kingfisher also gets my vote too, for what its worth!

Many thanks for your replies concerning my unidentified beetle. It was in my garden in Surrey (South East England).It was about 1cm long,an irredescent bronze/green and the stripes were pink/violet.Pity it could be a pest ! A big thank you to everybody else who has contributed answers as well.

It is a shame it is considered a pest (proably with good reason), but it is a beautiful beetle.