{"id":11950,"date":"2020-12-16T10:34:10","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T16:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/?p=11950"},"modified":"2020-12-16T10:34:10","modified_gmt":"2020-12-16T16:34:10","slug":"maine-leaf-beetle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/bug-of-the-week\/maine-leaf-beetle\/","title":{"rendered":"Maine Leaf Beetle"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Note: All links in this article go to external sites.)<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n

Greetings, BugFans,<\/p>\n

The BugLady found these (preoccupied) beetles on a trip to Spruce Lake Bog in June. They\u2019re in the Leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae<\/em>, which, along with weevils and rove beetles, is one of the largest beetle families. According to bugguide.net, there are \u201cabout 35,000 described species and up to 60,000 estimated species worldwide and ca. 1900 valid species and subspecies in our area.\u201d Chrysomelids<\/em> are vegetarians, often targeting specific plants and, like the asparagus, the waterlily, the Colorado potato, and the ninebark leaf beetles, are named for their culinary preferences. Adults are usually found on leaves and flowers, and the larvae are found on leaves, roots and rhizomes. Some are agricultural pests, and some are biological controls of agricultural pests. They\u2019re found on six continents.<\/p>\n

[Quick entomological review: In species that have Complete metamorphosis\u2014egg to immature to pupal\/resting stage to adult\u2014the immature stage is called a larva. The larvae of certain groups have additional names like grubs (beetles) or maggots (flies) or caterpillars (butterflies and moths). The BugLady was taught (eons ago) that the immatures of insects with Incomplete metamorphosis (they hatch, grow, molt, and add features like wings until they molt into adults ) are called nymphs<\/em> if they develop on land and naiads<\/em> if they develop in the water. Some people use nymph interchangeably with naiad (never the other way around), but a nymph\/naiad should never be called a larva. Got it?]<\/p>\n

The majority of leaf beetle species have only one generation per year and overwinter as adults; otherwise, in size, shape, coloring, habitat preferences, and lifestyle, it\u2019s a very diverse bunch. Some are pretty spiffy:<\/p>\n