Insect · GBIF taxon 1048357
Dogbane Leaf Beetle
Chrysochus auratusAlso known as Dogbane Beetle, Green Dogbane Leaf Beetle
Dogbane leaf beetles shimmer with an iridescent metallic sheen that shifts between green, copper, and blue depending on the angle of sunlight. Their brilliant coloration acts as a warning display to potential predators, signaling that their bodies are filled with bitter cardenolides absorbed from their host plants. Adult beetles emerge in early summer to feed on foliage and mate, while their larvae live underground consuming plant roots.
IridescentBeetleHerbivore
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Dogbane foliage
- Milkweed leaves
Predators
- Spiders
- Robber Flies
- Stink Bugs
ThreatsHabitat loss and pesticide application
HabitatsFields, meadows, roadsides, and open sunny margins
Life span1 year
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderColeoptera
- FamilyChrysomelidae
- GenusChrysochus
- SpeciesChrysochus auratus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Look on Host Plants: Search dogbane and milkweed patches in sunlit meadows during mid-summer.
- Observe Iridescence: View under direct sunlight to see shifting green, coppery, and blue metallic highlights.
- Avoid Handling: Leave beetles on their leaves as they secrete bitter toxins when stressed.
Host Companion (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Co-occurring Species (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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