Chrysolina
Encyclopedia
Chrysolina is a large genus
of leaf beetle
s in the subfamily Chrysomelinae
. The species Chrysolina cerealis
and C. graminis are protected in the United Kingdom
. All species of Chrysolina are phytophagous, feeding on specific food plants, and some of them have been used for biological control of weed
s. To control Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort), C. hyperici was successfully naturalized in Australia
in the 1930s and several species, especially C. quadrigemina, were introduced to California
in the late 1940s.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of leaf beetle
Leaf beetle
Beetles in the family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles. This is a family of over 35,000 species in more than 2,500 genera, one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle families....
s in the subfamily Chrysomelinae
Chrysomelinae
The Chrysomelinae are a subfamily of leaf beetles . There are some 2000 species, found worldwide. The most well-known member is the notorious Colorado potato beetle .-Genera:* Alfius* Cecchiniola...
. The species Chrysolina cerealis
Chrysolina cerealis
Chrysolina cerealis, the rainbow leaf beetle or Snowdon beetle, is a brightly-coloured Eurasian leaf beetle. It is found in montane grassland from Norway to northern Italy, and from Ussuri in the east to Snowdonia in the west ...
and C. graminis are protected in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. All species of Chrysolina are phytophagous, feeding on specific food plants, and some of them have been used for biological control of weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
s. To control Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort), C. hyperici was successfully naturalized in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the 1930s and several species, especially C. quadrigemina, were introduced to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the late 1940s.
Selected species
- Chrysolina americanaChrysolina americanaChrysolina americana is a type of beetle native to Southern Europe, despite the species name americana. Commonly known as the 'Rosemary Beetle' it feeds on rosemary and lavender.- Introduction to the United Kingdom :...
- Chrysolina cerealisChrysolina cerealisChrysolina cerealis, the rainbow leaf beetle or Snowdon beetle, is a brightly-coloured Eurasian leaf beetle. It is found in montane grassland from Norway to northern Italy, and from Ussuri in the east to Snowdonia in the west ...
- Chrysolina graminis
- Chrysolina grossaChrysolina grossaChrysolina grossa is a species of broad-shouldered leaf beetles belonging to the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Chrysomelinae.Head and pronotum show metallic blue-green colours, while elytra are bright red...
- Chrysolina sturmiChrysolina sturmiChrysolina sturmi is a green beetle of the Chrysomelidae family. It is found in Europe and Western Asia.The beetle grown to 6-10 mm in length.They feed on Glechoma hederacea, Galium and Cirsium...