Green Dock Beetle
Green Dock Beetle - Gastrophysa viridula
Description
Length 4 to 6 mm. A small green-golden beetle the elytra often seem to have a sheen.
Identification difficulty
Habitat
Usually found on Dock plants, it can be seen anywhere that Dock is present, such as roadside verges and field margins. It is often seen near to water.
When to see it
May and June.
Life History
The gravid female is very noticeable. Her body becomes so swollen that the wing cases are totally displaced. The larvae feed on Dock leaves.
UK Status
Common and widespread in Britain.
VC55 Status
Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 105 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.
David Nicholls
Aylestone Meadows
13 May 2010
David Nicholls
Grace Dieu
04 May 2008
male attempting to mate with a pregnant female?
Graham Calow
Sapcote
20 May 2013
specimen examined
David Nicholls
Aylestone Meadows
13 May 2010
David Nicholls
Martinshaw Wood
27 June 2009
larva
Mark Skevington
Blaby
21 May 2012
Ova
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Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020
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