Talkback: Rosemary leaf beetle

Hi Richard,Last night I had the door open to the garden with the light on,There was a thud on the floor,On inspection I found a Cock Chafer laying on it's back,I haven't seen one before,They are very beautiful looking beetle's for there size not at all aggressive.The room was full of flying insect's.It must be the warm weather.

Oldchippy.

Still to see a rosemary beetle in Bristol, Richard, and my garden has many large rosemary bushes and sage bushes in it.Do you know if their range has spread to the West Country yet? I have not heard that any gardeners here have had trouble. Usually the loss of rosemary bushes is put down to a harsh winter like we had year before last.

I am overrun with them. They seem much keener on the sage than my thyme (even though they're planted in the same large pot). I had noticed it was nibbled for ages, but didn't worry too much about it - but last week I went out and the plant was half dead with 20+ beetles sunning themselves on it. Ugh.

I'm afraid I'm now squishing them if I see them, without spending time on a major hunt.

They are gorgeous, and I don't mind a few, but I draw the line when they start to kill things!

So pleased to identify this lovely beetle from my brief description typed into google!

Discovered them on my Lavender bush this evening when coming back from my evening stroll with my two cats. The nightly walks always throw up something interesting but I was especially happy to see something new to me.

Not worried about them having a chomp as the bush is very large and at least they are prettier than the darned slugs. I live in Poulton-Le-Fylde near Blackpool, so don't know if they are common round here.