Knotgrass Beetle (Chrysolina polita)

You'd have thought that something this colourful and classified as 'common and widespread' (although recently declined) might have made itself known to me before today, given how much time I spend staring into swathes of long grass and vegetation?

So common, it's apparently considered the most common of the 19 species of the genus 'Chrysolina' found in the UK. Many are equally brightly coloured.

Not at all. Given it's not a beetle one is likely to forget with its finely punctured red elytra set against a mostly metallic green body and legs, I'm certain was my first encounter with this large (up to 9mm) Leaf beetle.

Found in a variety of habitats feeding on mints, nettles and Ivy, adults emerge in March or April and remain active through to October or November, overwintering in grass tussocks, in or under logs and bark or in general leaf litter.

Adults and larvae both feed on leaves, while adults may also feed on pollen?