Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina americana)
A new one on me that I found in my garden for the first time this year, back in June. The first on Lemon balm and then 5 more on rosemary. Not sure if I am happy to see them!
This picture has just been selected as the cover photo for The Hertfordshire Naturalist 2013 - the Annual report from the Hertfordshire Natural History Society. Now that IS an honour! Thank you!
The RHS website says : The rosemary beetle (Chrysolina americana) devours the leaves of rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage and some other related plants. It is an attractive 8mm long metallic green beetle with purple stripes on its wing cases and thorax. The beetle is a native of southern Europe that has become an established pest in Britain since the 1990s.
The soft-bodied grubs are greyish white with five darker longitudinal lines; fully grown larvae are 5-8mm long. Sausage-shaped eggs, 2mm long, may be found on the underside of the leaves from early autumn to spring.
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Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina americana)
A new one on me that I found in my garden for the first time this year, back in June. The first on Lemon balm and then 5 more on rosemary. Not sure if I am happy to see them!
This picture has just been selected as the cover photo for The Hertfordshire Naturalist 2013 - the Annual report from the Hertfordshire Natural History Society. Now that IS an honour! Thank you!
The RHS website says : The rosemary beetle (Chrysolina americana) devours the leaves of rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage and some other related plants. It is an attractive 8mm long metallic green beetle with purple stripes on its wing cases and thorax. The beetle is a native of southern Europe that has become an established pest in Britain since the 1990s.
The soft-bodied grubs are greyish white with five darker longitudinal lines; fully grown larvae are 5-8mm long. Sausage-shaped eggs, 2mm long, may be found on the underside of the leaves from early autumn to spring.
More in comments.