Thick-legged Flower Beetle Oedemera nobilis

The Thick-legged Flower Beetle is one of several metallic green flower beetles. It is common on open flowers in summer across Western Europe including the southern half of the UK.

The wing cases don't fully close over the wings. It is a useful pollinator while feeding on pollen.

Like some other Oedemera species, only the male, above, has the enlarged thighs that give the species its common name (also called Swollen-thigh Beetle).

Females, above, don't have the swollen, muscular thighs. Larvae develop in plant stems.

The light can play tricks with the usual bright metallic green iridescence making it seem gold, red, coppery or blue-green.

It is some 10mm long - longer than most other small flower beetles in its UK range. Other Oedemera species which may look similar include O. lurida which is usually a darker sage grey-green but can be pale green or brown and is 5-8mm long; prevalent in Europe including southern UK, the males do not have enlarged thighs. In continental Europe O. flavipes is dark green or coppery and the male also has swollen thighs but the forelegs have yellowish or reddish tinge.