- Lifespan
- 2–3 years from egg to adult; adults live several months during summer
- Size & Weight
- 8–12 mm in length; metallic green with a coppery sheen
- Habitat
- Gardens, parks, woodlands, and hedgerows with roses, hawthorn, and other flowering plants, particularly in warm, sunny locations.
- UK Distribution
- Southern England and Wales, with populations extending north to the Midlands; resident but range has expanded northward in recent decades, likely due to climate change.
- Diet
- Adults feed on pollen and nectar from roses, hawthorn, and other flowers; larvae feed on rotting wood and compost in the soil.
- Predators
- Robins, thrushes, and other insectivorous birds; parasitic wasps target larvae.
- Mating Season
- May to August
- Breeding
- Females lay eggs singly in soil rich with decaying wood or compost; larvae develop over 1–2 years, pupating in spring before emerging as adults.
- Behaviour
- Adults are strong, clumsy fliers that are most active on warm, sunny days and are attracted to flowers by scent. They are diurnal and often seen visiting blooms in mid-morning. Larvae are cryptic, developing underground in compost heaps and rotting logs.