Rose Chafer Larvae/Grub

Rose chafer larvae (Pachnoda marginata) are suitable as feeding animals as well as fishing lures. For anglers they are also known as Congo larvae, because they are the larvae or grubs of the Congo rose chafer. The larvae are about 4 cm long and therefore represent a quite large food animal, which is therefore more suitable for larger reptiles and amphibians. However, the high fat and protein content of the rose beetle larvae also ensures that these food insects cannot be recommended as the only food source. However, when reptiles have a temporary, increased need for proteins and fats, e.g. after hibernation or egg deposition, I can recommend rose beetle larvae.

Rose chafer larvae are not only energy-rich but also easily digestible. The missing chitin shell makes the rose beetle larvae very soft, and the voluminous body makes the food animals a very big delicacy. For anglers they are a top live bait that is often caught when other live baits fail. As the larvae are still rarely used as live bait, they trigger another attraction on the fish, which often leads to the desired bite.