About Oedemera flavipes (Fabricius, 1792)
Oedemera flavipes is a very common beetle species belonging to the family Oedemeridae and subfamily Oedemerinae. This species can be found across most of Europe and the Near East. Its body is typically gray-green, dark green, or coppery in color, while its forelegs are yellow or reddish — the species name flavipes refers directly to this yellow leg trait. Like most species in the Oedemera genus, males of this species have greatly swollen hind femora, while females have thin hind femora. Adult Oedemera flavipes reach a body length of 9 to 11 millimetres (0.35 to 0.43 inches). Adults are most active from May through July, when they can usually be found feeding on pollen and nectar, primarily from plant species in the Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Convolvulaceae, and Apiaceae families. They are a common prey item for the checkered beetle Trichodes alvearius. The larvae of Oedemera flavipes develop inside the stems of herbaceous plants or inside decaying tree branches.
