Insect identification > Coleoptera > True Coleoptera > Leaf beetles

Leaf beetles

Family Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles). - This is the largest family of beetles but its members are small, not often being over half an inch long. Most of them are leaf feeders, though the larvae of a few are worm-like and attack underground stems or roots. Many are serious pests and, though almost none is found throughout the entire country, allied species working in similar ways occur.

In the group as a whole, yellowish elytra with black lines or spots seems to be the prevailing color pattern, though, of course, with many exceptions.

Together with the next two families, from which other characters separate this one, the third segment of the tarsus is generally broad, being drawn out into a lobe on each side, and is covered beneath with minute, closely set hairs (pubescent). The antennae are at most of only average length.