A very attractive green and purple striped Rosemary Beetle was on the gate post. Fortunately there does not appear to be an infestation on the rosemary and lavender leaves although it is spreading into Scotland now after becoming widespread in south east Britain since the first records just over 20 years ago.  map
Purple-striped green beetles, 8mm long, congregate among the leaves, which they feed on. The beetles lay elongated eggs beneath rosemary leaves from September and continue to do so on warm days right through winter. These hatch after a couple of weeks and the larvae feed on the plants for about three weeks before entering the soil to pupate. Two weeks later the adults emerge and continue munching through the leaves and laying their eggs.