| Poplar Leaf Beetle (Melasoma populi (Linnaeus, 1758)) |
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Scientific name: Melasoma populi (Linnaeus, 1758) Common name: Poplar Leaf Beetle Other names: Other scientific names: Chrysomela populi or Lina populi. French name: Chrysomèle du peuplier, Lina de peuplier. Order: Coleoptera Family: Chrysomelidae Wingspan : 10 to 12 mm. Biotope: On Poplar leaves and on Willow leaves they feed on. Geographic area: Europe, Asia east to Japan. Observation period : April to September. |
The Poplar Leaf Beetle has an oval-shaped body. The elytra are orange to bright red with a black mark near the apex. The rest of the body is back with green sheen. Females are slightly larger than males. There are two or three generations per year. The beetles of the last generation over winter down in the litter. Larvae grow in groups on Poplar leaves or Willow leaves they feed on. They emit a strong smelling fluid when they are disturbed. There is a possible confusion with Chrysomela saliceti and Chrysomela tremulae which are a slightly smaller size and which are missing the black mark on the apex of the elytra. |
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The size of the body and the black mark slightly visible at the rear tip of the elytra seems to confirm Melasoma populi. I have taken this picture on poplar stump shoots. |
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This pictures is one of my first tries using extender tubes. The first lesson learned is that you need to use extender tubes on very high quality lenses. There is here an amplification of the optical defects of mid-range lenses. |
André Bon January 2010