Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Coleoptera (Beetles) ➔ Family Chrysomelidae (Leaf beetles)
Chrysomela (Chrysomela) populi Linnaeus, 1758
Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Synonyms and other combinations:
Melasoma populi (Stephens, 1834) |
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2005-06-04 13:36:52
Image number: 3134
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2005-06-04 13:36:52
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2006-05-06 11:46:11
Image number: 2991
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2006-05-06 11:46:11
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2006-05-07 11:03:01
Image number: 2992
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2006-05-07 11:03:01
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi
DE, Chemnitz; 2004-08-21 14:00:45
Image number: 3120
DE, Chemnitz
2004-08-21 14:00:45
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2010-10-09 12:49:51
Image number: 4202
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2010-10-09 12:49:51
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2011-06-26 15:47:16
Image number: 4707
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2011-06-26 15:47:16
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, mating
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2021-05-09 13:45:05
Image number: 10079
mating
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2021-05-09 13:45:05
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, mating
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-05-10 17:46:24
Image number: 4633
mating
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-05-10 17:46:24
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, mating
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-05-10 17:45:50
Image number: 4634
mating
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-05-10 17:45:50
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, mating
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-05-08 12:34:53
Image number: 5315
mating
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-05-08 12:34:53
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, larva
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2019-09-22 13:16:28
Image number: 8970
larva
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2019-09-22 13:16:28
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, larva
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2019-09-22 13:05:29
Image number: 8971
larva
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2019-09-22 13:05:29
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, larvae
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-22 11:32:16
Image number: 5526
larvae
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-22 11:32:16
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-22 15:46:31
Image number: 5527
larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-22 15:46:31
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-22 11:34:57
Image number: 5528
larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-22 11:34:57
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-22 15:47:38
Image number: 5529
larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-22 15:47:38
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-06-03 10:09:44
Image number: 4628
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-06-03 10:09:44
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-06-03 10:09:57
Image number: 4629
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-06-03 10:09:57
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-06-03 10:10:22
Image number: 4630
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-06-03 10:10:22
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-06-05 17:17:46
Image number: 4631
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-06-05 17:17:46
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-06-06 06:43:06
Image number: 4632
freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-06-06 06:43:06
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-30 14:36:43
Image number: 5560
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-30 14:36:43
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2017-08-28 11:34:16
Image number: 8037
larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2017-08-28 11:34:16
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, pre-pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2017-08-29 16:51:35
Image number: 8038
pre-pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2017-08-29 16:51:35
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, pupation
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2017-08-30 14:24:07
Image number: 8039
pupation
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2017-08-30 14:24:07
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2017-08-30 00:00:00
Image number: 8040
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2017-08-30 00:00:00
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2017-09-04 10:09:39
Image number: 8041
freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2017-09-04 10:09:39
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2018-05-21 16:43:37
Image number: 8261
larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2018-05-21 16:43:37
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, pre-pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2018-05-25 08:45:32
Image number: 8262
pre-pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2018-05-25 08:45:32
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2018-05-27 15:04:46
Image number: 8264
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2018-05-27 15:04:46
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2018-05-31 10:25:56
Image number: 8263
freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2018-05-31 10:25:56
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi, host plant
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2019-09-22 12:50:59
Image number: 8972
host plant
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2019-09-22 12:50:59
Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 Großer Pappelblattkäfer Poplar Leaf Beetle
Chrysomela populi + Chrysomela tremula, feeding pattern
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2019-09-22 13:17:35
Image number: 8973
feeding pattern
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2019-09-22 13:17:35
Further vernacular names:
Red Poplar Leaf Beetle
Classification:
Chrysomela populi belongs to the subfamily Chrysomelinae, tribe Chrysomelini.
Distribution:
Europe, Asia.
Habitat:
Forests and parks, everywhere where poplars and willows, the host plants of the beetle, can be found.
Description:
The 10 - 12 mm large Poplar Leaf Beetle has orange or red elytra with a small black spot at the tip. Its pronotum is black, sometimes bronze green. In the similar looking, somewhat smaller species
Chrysomela saliceti and
Chrysomela tremulae the black spot at the tip of elytra is missing.
The adult larvae, up to 15 mm long and yellowish white in colour, have dark spots arranged in rows. They are virtually indistinguishable from those of
Chrysomela tremula and
Chrysomela saliceti. At first sight the larvae of
Chrysomela populi can easily be confused with the larvae of the smaller Spotted Willow Leaf Beetle (
Chrysomela vigintipunctata) as well.
Biology:
The beetles form two complete generations a year in Central Europe. Under favourable conditions, a third incomplete generation develops.
Chrysomela populi hibernates as imago. The wintered beetles can be found on the host plants from the end of April/beginning of May. The females lay eggs on the undersides of the leaves. After a few days the larvae hatch. The larvae go through 3 larval stages and feed on the leaves of different poplar and willow species. They have spherical glands through which they can secrete a defence secretion (2nd larva picture from 2019). The pupation takes place upside down (see pictures from 2011).
Note:
I found the larva of 2017 on an aspen (
Populus tremula). It pupated 2 days later. The first three parts of the penultimate picture show the change of the pupa on August 30th, the day of the pupation. The second partial picture was taken half an hour and the third two and a half hours after the first. The last partial picture shows the pupa on 3 September, the day before the beetle hatched. The pupal stage lasted 5 days.
The last picture of the beetle hatched in 2017 shows the black spot at the tip of the elytra characteristic for
Chrysomela populi.
The pictures from 2018 show a
Chrysomela populi of the 1st generation as larva on willow, prepupa, after pupation and the adult beetle freshly hatched after a few days.
The larvae of 22 September 2019 both pupated on 29 September. On 5 October, two beetles with the black spot on the tip of the elytra characteristic of
Chrysomela populi had left their pupal shells.
Natural enemies:
Cleonice callida Meigen, 1824 (Diptera, family Tachinidae)
Schizonotus sieboldi (Ratzeburg, 1848) (Hymenoptera, family Pteromalidae)
References, further reading, links:
- Rheinheimer, Joachim, & Hassler, Michael:
Die Blattkäfer Baden-Württembergs, 2018, 928 pages, Kleinsteuber Books (Karlsruhe), ISBN 978-3-9818110-2-5
- Arved Lompe: Die Käfer Europas - Ein Bestimmungswerk im Internet
- J. Urban: Occurrence, bionomics and harmfulness of Chrysomela
populi L. (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), Journal of Forest Science, 52, 2006 (6): 255–284