Chrysochus auratus
Dogbane leaf beetle (Chrysomelidae). Naples, New York, USA.
Xanthonia
The small brownish leaf beetles in the genus Xanthonia are a common but often overlooked insect, usually associated with oak trees. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Texas, USA.
Paropsisterna
A gregarious cluster of Paropsisterna eucalyptus leaf beetles. These insects are chemically defended and are apparently more successful in advertising that fact in numbers. Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
When disturbed, Paropsisterna eucalyptus leaf beetle larvae evert abdominal glands that release poisonous hydrogen cyanide gas. Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Stolas
A tropical leaf beetle, Stolas sp. (Chrysomelidae) Armenia, Belize
Hemisphaerota cyanea
Palmetto Tortoise Beetle- mating pair. Gainesville, Florida, USA
Plagiometriona c.f. clavata larva with fecal shield
La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica (Thanks to Carlos de la Rosa for rearing the larva out for an identification)
Larvae of many leaf beetles wear a shield of their own excretia as a defensive strategy. La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. (Thanks to Carlos de la Rosa for rearing the larva out for an identification)
Glyptoscelis pubescens
Hairy leaf beetle. South Bristol, New York, USA.
Aspicela bourcieri
Maquipucuna Reserve, Ecuador.
Oulema collaris
Spiderwort leaf beetle on its host plant. Austin, Texas, USA.
Lema trivittata
Three-lined Lema beetle on its Datura host plant. Austin, Texas, USA.
Lema opulenta
A nightshade leaf beetle feeds on tomato leaves. The bright colors presumably advertise the insect's toxicity. Austin, Texas, USA.
Calligrapha
A pleasingly plump leaf beetle larva. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Texas, USA.
Leaf beetles in the genus Calligrapha are aptly named for the inscriptions on their elytra. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, USA.
Zygogramma
Leaf Beetle. Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, USA.
Leaf Beetles. Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, USA.
Chrysomelidae
Chemically defended insects, like these willow-feeding leaf beetle larvae, can amplify their toxicity by aggregating. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Texas, USA.
Chrysomela interrupta
An alder leaf beetle eating and pooping, pooping and eating, as leaf beetles do. Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA.
Cryptocephalus notatus
A colorful leaf beetle on a live oak. Many leaf beetles have specialized diets, but this one feeds broadly across a number of plants. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Texas, USA.
The massive hind femora of this flea beetle hold the muscles that power its jumping legs. Mindo, Pichincha, Ecuador.
Chrysomelidae: Alticinae
A pair of flea beetles mating. Yandoit, Australia, USA.
Protected by a spiny shield of its own excrement, a tropical beetle munches away on a leaf. Refugio Amazonas, Tambopata, Peru.
