Thick-legged Flower Beetle, on chamomile
Oedemera nobilis
Thick-legged Flower Beetle · Great Dixter · 8 June 2025

A Thick-legged Flower Beetle working a chamomile flower at Great Dixter, iridescent green in the sun. A beetle of flowery grassland and gardens across southern Britain and Europe, and the adults live entirely on pollen, on open, flat flowers like this one where it is easy to reach.
Only the male carries the swollen hind thighs that name the species, and this one has them - a trait with no settled explanation, though the best guess is grip during mating.
Birds, insects, plants and other wildlife, mostly from Brooklyn, with some from further afield.
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