Chrysolina polita (Linnaeus, 1758)

Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Chrysolina > Chrysolina polita

Images

Chrysolina polita
Source:
Roger Key
Chrysolina polita
Source:
John Gardner / Wildscenes
Chrysolina polita
Source:
Malcolm Storey / BioImages
Chrysolina polita
Source:
Lech Borowiec

Description

Size: 5.9-8.6mm
Basic colour: Metallic green with red-brown/orange-brown elytra
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Rare
Pronotoum: Metallic green
Leg colour: Metallic green

Probably the commonest and most widespread British species of Chrysolina.

Biology

Status: Widespread and common
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various Lamiaceae, especially mints; also on nettles and ivy
Overwintering: Adults hibernate in logs and under bark etc. from October to March/April.
Food: Adults and larvae feed on leaves; adults may also feed on pollen.
Other notes: Occasionally, the pronotum is red-purple; rarely, the metallic green colour is replaced by blue.

Articles

Read, R.W.J. (1992). A new hostplant of Chrysolina polita (Linnaeus) (Chrysomelidae). The Coleopterist 1(2): 19.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)