Oedemera lurida
Oedemera lurida is a rather small species reaching 5 to 7 mm only. The basic colour usually is greenish, but may be rather blueish. The animal does look rather greyish though, for the shields are covered in grey hairs. There is a similar species: Oedemera viriscens. However the two species are very easy to tell apart, but you need to measure them carefully. Oedemera viriscens is 8 to 12 mm in length and so it is always bigger than Oedemera lurida. The adult beetles can be found in rich meadows, the edges of woodlands, parks and gardens.
The larvae of Oedemera lurida live inside the stems of various plants, like Thistle. They are very keen of the stems of Greater Knapweed. Adult beetles are seen from May to July. This is a common species in the Southern part of Britain.
