The Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata L.) is a beautiful, conspicuous, relatively large (14–20 mm), shiny, bright golden-green coloured beetle. Eggs are laid in the soil and the emerging larvae feed for two to three years on plant roots as well as rotten wood etc. Larvae also occur in warm compost heaps and heaps of decaying leaves. The larva closely resembles that of its near relative the Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha L.), a species especially well-known to gardeners because of its larva’s destructive underground activities.

After two to three years the larva pupates in a cell the size of a walnut, which is covered with larval excrement and formed at a depth of around 60 cm. in the soil. Pupae as well as larvae are often found in ants’ nests. Although the adult emerges from the pupa in late summer it remains quiescent in the soil before surfacing the following April to August. Adults fly in the early afternoon and afterwards may be found resting on or in flowers or vegetation. They feed chiefly on pollen, nectar and fruits and it is because they occasionally cause damage to roses (and other cultivated Rosaceae such as raspberries and strawberries) that the beetle has gained its common name.

A century ago, the Rose Chafer was considered to be generally distributed and common in the south of the country, becoming scarcer and more local in the Midlands and distinctly rarer north of this; today it appears to have become decidedly less common more-or-less everywhere.

In Suffolk, it seems to have always been rare and very localised and has not, to my knowledge, been recorded in here since April, 1961. Suffolk records known to me are as follows:

1800–1850: Battisford area [TM05], one in coll. William H. Baker. (Morley,1899)
24. vi. 1896: Bentley Woods, on umbel [TM14], Claude Morley. (Morley,1899; specimen extant in CM coll.)
--.--. 1903: Tuddenham Fen [TL77), Sparke. (Annotation in CM’s own copy of his 1899 ”Coleoptera”; specimen extant in CM coll.)
--. vii. 1927: Two specimens, Stutton [TM13]; ex coll.Hincks and Dibb; now in coll. DRN
28. vi. 1950: Ipswich [TM14], one on fence, Miss Backhouse (Morley (1950) suggested this was probably an importation; specimen extant in CM coll.)
23. vi. 1951: Ipswich (TM1845), one on rose bush in Westbury Road garden, but never found there since. C. S. Barham
18. viii. 1954: Ipswich (TM1845), one dead in Rushmere Road, C. S. Barham
23. iv. 1961: Rushmere St Andrew (TM1946), one on roadside nettle near church, DRN
30.iv.1961: Ipswich (TM1546), two in greenhouse, Dale Hall Lane, J. Murgatroyd; in coll. DRN.

As can be seen, with the exception of the Tuddenham record for VC26, all records originate from the Ipswich area, VC25. Morley found it in Suffolk only on the one occasion cited above although it is puzzling as to why he considered the 1950 capture in Ipswich as “probably an importation” (Morley, 1950). There is no mention of introduced plant material, compost etc. which might have given rise to his supposition, so perhaps he just wanted to sound important and authoritative as the beetle had eluded him personally since his capture half a century earlier. He was also unaware of the 1927 capture in Stutton by an unknown collector.

The species appears to have always been very rare in Norfolk. In 1893, it was stated to have been common in Norwich many years earlier whilst in 1909 it was reported as having occurred at Downham Market but not in recent times.The only other known record is held on a card index in the Castle Museum, Norwich viz “one at Thorpe, 9. 8. 1961 and 24. 7. 1962 – det. R. M. Barnes”. The apparent disappearance of the beetle from both Suffolk and Norfolk around the same time may be significant but is most likely to simply be coincidental.

Interestingly, in N.E. Essex the beetle is at present and not uncommon in urban and suburban areas to the north and west of Colchester (TM02,TL92), frequently in those which also support the stag beetle (Lucanus cervus). Maria Fremlin, a Colchester naturalist, is fascinated by the beetle and it close allies and has an excellent, informative website (http://maria.fremlin.org/cetonia_aurata) with pictures and advice on conservation etc. on the basis of her experience of Cetonia in her own garden and allotment over several years.

The Survey

I am anxious to determine the current status of the Rose Chafer in Suffolk. All members can help with this as we are dealing with a large, spectacular, readily observed species. Do you have any recollections or old records of its occurrence or of its non-occurrence in an area where you have lived, or currently live, in the county? Does it currently occur in your garden, local park or elsewhere in your frequented areas or could you not find the beetle despite searching? Remember that larvae can be found in compost heaps etc. so you could turn them up whilst gardening.

To confirm your record I should be grateful if you would send a photo of either an adult or large larva or, if you are not a photographer, a specimen can be sent. Together with your photo or specimen please provide the following information:

(1) the date of your sighting
(2) a place name/parish with if possible a National Grid reference and
(3) any field details which you can supply relating to the specimen.

I shall be reporting on the results of this survey in the Autumn White Admiral and all participants will be formally listed and acknowledged. Now it’s up to you - I cannot do this without your help!

Acknowledgements
I thank:
Dan Sanford, Ipswich Museum for extracting data from the Morley/Doughty Collection; Jerry Bowdrey, Colchester Museum for details of status in NE Essex and recent captures; Martin Collier, Norfolk Coleoptera Recorder, for details of Norfolk status and records; Cliff Barham for his unpublished records; Dr Roger Key and Maria Fremlin for their excellent photos of adult and larva respectively.

References
Morley, C. (1899). The Coleoptera of Suffolk. Plymouth. Morley, C. (1950). Observations - Some beetles of 1950. Trans. Suff. Nat. Soc. 7: 82.