ID my beetle?

[smof]

Hey all. This guy flew into our patio door yesterday and concussed himself just long enough for me to get these two pics before buzzing away again. I've never seen a beetle like this, but it looks like the kind you might keep as a pet cos it's so purty, so thought I'd see if anyone knew what it was

It was about 2cm (0.75") long, didn't seem to have a stinger of any kind. I live kind of near London in the UK if that helps, but I've never seen these guys around here before.

 

[Spaceman_Spiff]

Hi,

It's either Protaetia cuprea or Cetonia aurata, superficially they look almost identical (at least to me)!

greets
Bernhard

 

[smof]

I've had a search around for photos and info on both the sp. you suggested and I'm pretty sure (as sure as you can be from photos) that it is Cetonia aurata. Thanks very much Apparently they're very common so hopefully I'll see some more around.

 

[Mat]

Hi Smof

It is Cetonia aurata, in the UK Potosia cuprea is a northern/western species and has not been seen 'down south' for a long time. Cetonia is a bit patchy in occurance , but I did find a wild colony this year.

These guys are easy to rear in 'standard' fruit beetle type substrate - mix some well rotted leaf litter with about 10-20% crushed white rotten wood - they should lay quite happily in this. Eggs laid this year will produce beetles late next summer, but the adults will need to hibernate before they will lay - so you would see egg laying spring 2008. I have both Cetonia and Potosia in culture at the moment - I keep both in an unheated brick shed.