Biology
The adult beetles are active between April and September; they fly clumsily (2) and are typically seen in sunny weather. They feed on leaves, fruits, flowers and buds of a range of plants including roses, (hence the common name), and are often perceived as garden pests for this reason (3). The larvae feed on plant roots, and spend the winter hibernating in the soil or inside rotting wood, emerging the following year to pupate. After they emerge as adults they feed for a few weeks, mate and then die (3).
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Maria Fremlin commented on "Biology":
The larvae of Cetonia aurata do not feed on plant roots. I have pointed out this mistake to Arkive years ago and now their incorrect information has moved on to EOL!!! Cetonia aurata larvae are decomposers and this species is in the European Saproxylic list. The larval stage is spent in dead wood, compost, and leaf mould; occasionally, they are found in plant pots where they seem to do no damage to the plants.
