Noble chafer  (Gnorimus nobilis)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

This chafer is a very attractive insect. It has a metallic-green body which is speckled with white. The whole body displays a brilliant iridescence which can flash copper, gold and even violet when the light strikes it. The noble chafer resembles a much more common species called the rose chafer (Cetonia aurata). The principal differences between them are that the middle and hind legs of the noble chafer are smooth whereas they are 'toothed' on the rose chafer, and a small triangular area between the wing cases forms an equilateral triangle on the noble chafer but is elongated on the rose chafer. The rose chafer is also a much smoother-looking insect than the noble chafer.

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