Malachius bipustulatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

We're stuck in Britain for this next one - sorry, and all that.

Onwards:

 - Eukaryota
   - Animalia
     - Eumetazoa
       - Bilateralia
         - Nephrozoa - see also Thelotornis capensis, Lygodactylus capensis, Chalcophaps indica, Sterna hirundo, Ardea goliath and Hipposideros vittatus.
           - Protostomia
             - Ecdysozoa
               - Arthropoda - see also Ligia oceanica, Dicranopalpus ramosus and Hyllus argyrotoxus
                 - Hexapoda
                   - Insecta
                     - Dicondylia
                       - Pterygota
                         - Manopterygota - see also Enallagma cyathigerum and Pseudagrion hageni
                           - Neoptera - see also Sybilla, Stictogryllacris punctata and Cyathosternum prehensile.
                             - Eumetabola - see also Pephricus and Anoplocnemis curvipes
                               - Endopterygota - see also Hagenomyia tristis, Synagris proserpina, Zebronia phenice, Laelia robusta, Anthocharis cardamines, Acada biseriata, Panorpa germanica, Megistocera filipes, Diasemopsis meigenii, Episyrphus balteatus, and  Helophus pendulus 
                                 - Coleopterida
                                   - Coleoptera - see also Demetrias atricapillus and Anthia fornasinii
                                     - Polyphaga - see also Melolontha melolontha

                                       - Cucujiformia - see also Otiorhynchus atroapterus
                                         - Cleroidea
                                           - Malachiinae
                                             - Malachiini

Malachius bipustulatus

(Linnaeus, 1758)

And here it, better known as the common malachite beetle, is.

Taken in Bosham, West Sussex, UK, in August 2012

This rather hairy little beetle becomes really quite common at the height of summer, usually seen visiting flowers and chowing down on other insects, or - as with this one - clinging to grass stems waiting for the weather to improve. 

The UK, as usual, comes up trumps with regards to species identification. There are, according the the Watford Coleoptera Group, five species of malachite beetle in the UK (Malachite beetles being a handful of soft-winged flower beetles set apart by their green colouring, reminiscent the copper-ore malachite), three of which, in the genus Clanoptilus, can be separated from M. bipustulatus simply on the basis of their yellow feet. A fourth, Cordylepherus viridis, is more troubling, but generally slightly bluer, with a more bulging face and fainter, less vividly red spots at its wing-tips. 

That's all, folks! 

 A number of websites cover British beetles, but for good coverage of common species and major groups, the Watford Coleoptera Group website is hard to beat. It is not comprehensive, but its accessible design offers an excellent starting point for identification.