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Gastrophysa viridula
The length of the green dock beetle varies between sexes, with the males being 4 mm and the females being 7 mm. During the mating season, females have enlarged abdomens. Both sexes are green with a metallic shimmer, which, depending on the light, can be gold green, blue, purple, violet, or red. The legs of this species also shimmer a metallic green, and are strongly built. The antennae are serrated and are medium in length. SubspeciesGastrophysa viridula pennina (Weise, 1882) Gastrophysa viridula viridula (De Geer, 1775)
The green dock beetle is commonly found in central Europe. Its range extends eastward into western Siberia and the Caucasus Mountains. They are found in heathlands, forests, meadows, and gardens with the presence of plant dock (Rumex), the beetles' food plant. Diet The green dock beetle feeds mainly on dock and green sorrel, rarely feeding on other plants in the families Polygonaceae, Brassicaceae, Violaceae, and Boraginaceae. The larvae can only completely develop on Rumex species
spotted in my backyard
Spotted on May 10, 2008
Submitted on Oct 10, 2011
5 Comments
thanks J this green dock beetle is a real jewl :-),it's from my begining in PN,thanks for remember me of him,imagine in a few years i can remember my life streem,by my Noah page :-)
Lovely shade of green, António!
@Thanks Pouihi for your comment,that gave me the possibily of se that this one haved a id suggestion:) so one more id
@thanks Misako
@and thanks very much monkey-mind and nana-puppet for the id :)
could be a leafbug - take a look at mine: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/639... and http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/638...
beautiful!