Rainbow Leaf Beetle

Appearance

''Chrysolina cerealis'' can reach a length of 5.5–10 millimetres. Females are typically larger than males. Coloration of the pronotum and the elytra is quite variable, usually it is metallic green with three blue and red longitudinal stripes, with golden reflections. The subspecies ''Chrysolina cerealis mixta'' has metallic blue pronotum and elytra. The underparts are dark blue.

Naming

Subspecies within this genus include:
⤷  ''Chrysolina cerealis cerealis''
⤷  ''Chrysolina cerealis cyaneoaurata''
⤷  ''Chrysolina cerealis megerlei''
⤷  ''Chrysolina cerealis mixta''
⤷  ''Chrysolina cerealis rufolineata''

Distribution

This species is present in most Eurasian countries, from Norway to northern Italy, and from Ussuri in the east to Snowdonia in the west. These leaf beetles can be found in forests, woodlands, meadows, wastelands and montane grasslands over 600m above sea level.

Behavior

Adults can be found from April to September. This beetle lives on base-rich screes and lays its eggs during June on grasses such as ''Agrostis capillaris'' and ''Festuca ovina'', although both larvae and adults mostly feed on the wild thyme ''Thymus polytrichus'', preferring the flowers to the leaves.