Sapphire Flower Beetle
Protaetia speciosa cyanochlora — The "Sapphire of Persia" in our collection.
Quick Info
- Scientific Name: Protaetia speciosa cyanochlora
- Family: Scarabaeidae (Cetoniinae — Flower Chafers)
- Origin: Western Iran (Zagros Mountains), found at altitudes up to 2,600m
- Size: 20–35mm
- Nickname: "Sapphires of Persia"
What Makes It Special
These guys are absolutely gorgeous — a deep, metallic sapphire-blue that covers the entire body. The color is structural, similar to what you see in Rainbow Stag Beetles, meaning it comes from light bouncing off microscopic layers in the cuticle rather than from any pigment.
They were recently brought into captive breeding from wild mountain populations in Iran, so they're still pretty rare in the hobby. If you're into flower beetles with serious eye candy, this is the one.
Quick Care
20–25°C
Temperature
60–70%
Humidity
11–13mo
Life Cycle
Wood+Leaf
Substrate
Substrate Tip
Use a mix of decaying wood and leaf litter for larvae. Keep it moist but not soggy — these beetles come from mountain environments, so they don't like it too wet or too hot.
How I Raise Larvae
Coming Soon
Larvae raising method will be updated soon.