Gold-legged rose chafer

Systematic position. Protaetia auripes belongs to the order Coleoptera, family Scarabaeidae, and subfamily Cetoniinae. It is a well-known beetle species widely distributed across East Asia, including the Far East, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula, where it plays both an ecological role in decomposition and a pest role in gardening.

Host plants. The species is highly polyphagous, targeting a variety of fruit trees and ornamental flowers. It is particularly noted for causing significant damage to apple, pear, cherry, and plum trees, as well as roses, peonies, and other garden flowers by feeding on their reproductive organs.

Biology and life cycle. The life cycle typically spans one to two years. Larvae develop underground or in decaying wood, feeding on organic matter, humus, and decomposing plant debris. After going through three larval stages, they pupate in earthen cocoons. Adults emerge during the warm season, coinciding with the flowering period of their host plants.

Damage and economic impact. Adult beetles are primarily florivorous, meaning they feed on flowers. They consume petals, pollen, and reproductive parts of blossoms. This activity leads to the rapid destruction of flower buds and flowers, resulting in the failure of fruit set and significantly reduced ornamental quality in landscape planting.

Protection measures. Effective control involves integrating physical and cultural practices:

• Manual collection of beetles in the early morning when they are sluggish.
• Sanitation of the garden by removing piles of leaf litter, compost, and rotting logs where larvae thrive.
• Soil cultivation around tree bases to disturb and kill pupating larvae.
• Use of chemical control (insecticides) only when infestation levels exceed economic thresholds, ensuring timing avoids peak pollinator activity.