Leaf Beetles

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53. Leaf beetles and other leaf feeding insects.

54. A large group of beetles known as leaf beetles feed on leaves both as adults and as larvae. This is damage of the elm leaf beetle. During severe outbreaks, entire trees may be covered with brown, skeletonized leaves.

55. Elm leaf beetles are known to some people as household pests because hordes of them sometimes enter houses in search of winter shelter.

56. The beetles emerge in early spring and begin laying clusters of yellow eggs on the underside of elm leaves.

57. In less than a week, the eggs hatch and hungry, plump larvae begin skeletonizing the leaves. Deciduous trees defoliated in May or early June will generally put out a new set of leaves by mid-summer; however, when elm trees do this, a second generation of elm leaf beetles may again defoliate the tree. Complete defoliation for three or more consecutive years may result in death of the tree.

58. This is the imported willow leaf beetle. Other leaf beetle pests include cherry leaf beetle, larger elm leaf beetle, elm flea beetle, grape flea beetle, and many others.

59. Half-moon shaped notches eaten into leaf edges are characteristic damage of a group of weevils. These hard-bodied snout beetles may badly injure ornamental shrubs with their leaf feeding, but even more serious damage is caused by their larvae which feed on roots.

60. The black vine weevil, also called the taxus weevil, feeds on a wide variety of woody and herbaceous plants, including broad-leaved evergreens, taxus, hemlock, and some greenhouse and garden plants.

61. The weevils feed at night and are, therefore, rarely seen. Their larvae consume feeder roots and the bark on larger roots, sometimes killing the plant. New transplants are especially susceptible.

62. The Japanese weevil has a similar life history. Its numerous host plants include: privet, rhododendron, azalea, mountain laurel, pyracantha, camellia, dogwood, lilac, and others.

63. Many of the same plants are attacked by the fuller rose beetle. Interestingly, these threes species of weevils are unable to fly, and all individuals are females; males have never been found. They can produce viable eggs without mating.

64. Rose and peony flowers are particularly attractive to the rose chafer, but if not available, they will feed on the leaves of many ornamental trees and shrubs. The chafers appear in swarms in late May or early June.

65. The familiar Japanese beetle also feeds in swarms. This pestiferous insect will feed on nearly all ornamental plants except evergreens, phlox, chrysanthemum, gladiolus, iris, and a few other flowers. Repeated insecticide sprays are needed to protect high value plants. Japanese beetle traps are also available.

66. The larvae of the Japanese beetle, as well as chafer and June beetles, are call white grubs. These white, c-shaped grubs feed on the roots of grasses and are themselves serious pests.

67. Large numbers of them can chew off so many grass roots that infested turf can be rolled back like a carpet. Japanese beetles can be controlled either with an insecticide or with a spore- containing product which introduces a natural disease into the grub population. Infected grubs turn a milky white color before succumbing giving rise to the name, Milky Spore Disease.

68. That concludes Part 2: Insects that Feed on Leaves.

Return to Insects that Feed on Leaves

	53. Leaf beetles and other leaf feeding insects.
	54. A large group of beetles known as leaf beetles feed on leaves both as adults and as larvae. This is damage of the elm leaf beetle. During severe outbreaks, entire trees may be covered with brown, skeletonized leaves.
	55. Elm leaf beetles are known to some people as household pests because hordes of them sometimes enter houses in search of winter shelter.
	56. The beetles emerge in early spring and begin laying clusters of yellow eggs on the underside of elm leaves.
	57. In less than a week, the eggs hatch and hungry, plump larvae begin skeletonizing the leaves. Deciduous trees defoliated in May or early June will generally put out a new set of leaves by mid-summer; however, when elm trees do this, a second generation of elm leaf beetles may again defoliate the tree. Complete defoliation for three or more consecutive years may result in death of the tree.
	58. This is the imported willow leaf beetle. Other leaf beetle pests include cherry leaf beetle, larger elm leaf beetle, elm flea beetle, grape flea beetle, and many others.
	59. Half-moon shaped notches eaten into leaf edges are characteristic damage of a group of weevils. These hard-bodied snout beetles may badly injure ornamental shrubs with their leaf feeding, but even more serious damage is caused by their larvae which feed on roots.
	60. The black vine weevil, also called the taxus weevil, feeds on a wide variety of woody and herbaceous plants, including broad-leaved evergreens, taxus, hemlock, and some greenhouse and garden plants.
	61. The weevils feed at night and are, therefore, rarely seen. Their larvae consume feeder roots and the bark on larger roots, sometimes killing the plant. New transplants are especially susceptible.
	62. The Japanese weevil has a similar life history. Its numerous host plants include: privet, rhododendron, azalea, mountain laurel, pyracantha, camellia, dogwood, lilac, and others.
	63. Many of the same plants are attacked by the fuller rose beetle. Interestingly, these threes species of weevils are unable to fly, and all individuals are females; males have never been found. They can produce viable eggs without mating.
	64. Rose and peony flowers are particularly attractive to the rose chafer, but if not available, they will feed on the leaves of many ornamental trees and shrubs. The chafers appear in swarms in late May or early June.
	65. The familiar Japanese beetle also feeds in swarms. This pestiferous insect will feed on nearly all ornamental plants except evergreens, phlox, chrysanthemum, gladiolus, iris, and a few other flowers. Repeated insecticide sprays are needed to protect high value plants. Japanese beetle traps are also available.
	66. The larvae of the Japanese beetle, as well as chafer and June beetles, are call white grubs. These white, c-shaped grubs feed on the roots of grasses and are themselves serious pests.
	67. Large numbers of them can chew off so many grass roots that infested turf can be rolled back like a carpet. Japanese beetles can be controlled either with an insecticide or with a spore- containing product which introduces a natural disease into the grub population. Infected grubs turn a milky white color before succumbing giving rise to the name, Milky Spore Disease.
	68. That concludes Part 2: Insects that Feed on Leaves.