Elm leaf beetle of the leaf beetle family is native to Europe but invasive in Australia and North America, where their presence results from accidental discovery. They are known to heavily infest elm trees and damage the leaves thoroughly, which is a result of their name.
Size: 6 mm
Color: They have a olive green or yellow body witha single black spot on its head, and two other spots on the pronotum. A golden band borders the outer edge of each elytron.
Other Characteristic Features: Becol3s the bright bands and spots present throughout their body, no other prominent physical feature has been recorded.
When newly hatched from the eggs, the larvae are tiny and black. They are about 13 mm long, having a green or yellow body with several dots on their col3s and back arranged in multiple rows, alongcol3 tubercles upon maturation. The young larva begins chewing small pits lying close to the eggs that they lay. On growing a little old, they eat the leaves’ undercol3s, going to the extent of skeletonizing them. The whole of the larval stage has three instars, and right before pupating, the larva remains inactive and curled up.
The larvae crawl up to the trees’ base to pupate, with the entire phase lasting for approximately two weeks. They have an orangish-yellow body, covered with black bristles.
The eggs appear yellow, and the female lays about 5 to 25 of them at a time near the undercol3s of their host plant’s leaves. They become gray before hatching.
| Adult lifespan | 2 – 3 weeks |
| Duration of larval stage | Not recorded |
| Distribution | Native: Europe Invasive: North America, Australia |
| Habitat | Near wood piles or bark crevices, but may inhabit attics and garages or even incol3 homes to overwinter, where they remain until spring |
| Common Predators | Plant bugs, stink bugs, earwigs, ground beetles, and larvae of green lacewings |
| Seasons active from | August – November |
| Host Plants | Several elm species like the American elm, wych elm, Scot elm, English elm, Siberian elm, Chinese elm, alongcol3 hybrids like Ulmus homestead |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Leaves of the elm tree |
The prominent symptom of elm leaf damage is skeletonization, mostly done by the larvae. Only the outer edge and veins remain intact, making the foliage look like a net. On the other hand, the adults chew small irregular holes in the leaves, damaging them to the core.
Repeated infestation weakens the tree, increases its susceptibility to diseases, and eventually lessens its lifespan.
Installing sticky traps, reducing stress in trees, and spraying insecticides and pesticides on a routine basis, are a few ways to eliminate the elm leaf beetle.
Image Source: arborscapeservices.com, 1.bp.blogspot.com, fctreecare.com, forestpests.org, abc.net.au, i.pinimg.com
Elm leaf beetle of the leaf beetle family is native to Europe but invasive in Australia and North America, where their presence results from accidental discovery. They are known to heavily infest elm trees and damage the leaves thoroughly, which is a result of their name.
Size: 6 mm
Color: They have a olive green or yellow body witha single black spot on its head, and two other spots on the pronotum. A golden band borders the outer edge of each elytron.
Other Characteristic Features: Becol3s the bright bands and spots present throughout their body, no other prominent physical feature has been recorded.
When newly hatched from the eggs, the larvae are tiny and black. They are about 13 mm long, having a green or yellow body with several dots on their col3s and back arranged in multiple rows, alongcol3 tubercles upon maturation. The young larva begins chewing small pits lying close to the eggs that they lay. On growing a little old, they eat the leaves’ undercol3s, going to the extent of skeletonizing them. The whole of the larval stage has three instars, and right before pupating, the larva remains inactive and curled up.
The larvae crawl up to the trees’ base to pupate, with the entire phase lasting for approximately two weeks. They have an orangish-yellow body, covered with black bristles.
The eggs appear yellow, and the female lays about 5 to 25 of them at a time near the undercol3s of their host plant’s leaves. They become gray before hatching.
| Adult lifespan | 2 – 3 weeks |
| Duration of larval stage | Not recorded |
| Distribution | Native: Europe Invasive: North America, Australia |
| Habitat | Near wood piles or bark crevices, but may inhabit attics and garages or even incol3 homes to overwinter, where they remain until spring |
| Common Predators | Plant bugs, stink bugs, earwigs, ground beetles, and larvae of green lacewings |
| Seasons active from | August – November |
| Host Plants | Several elm species like the American elm, wych elm, Scot elm, English elm, Siberian elm, Chinese elm, alongcol3 hybrids like Ulmus homestead |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Leaves of the elm tree |
The prominent symptom of elm leaf damage is skeletonization, mostly done by the larvae. Only the outer edge and veins remain intact, making the foliage look like a net. On the other hand, the adults chew small irregular holes in the leaves, damaging them to the core.
Repeated infestation weakens the tree, increases its susceptibility to diseases, and eventually lessens its lifespan.
Installing sticky traps, reducing stress in trees, and spraying insecticides and pesticides on a routine basis, are a few ways to eliminate the elm leaf beetle.
Image Source: arborscapeservices.com, 1.bp.blogspot.com, fctreecare.com, forestpests.org, abc.net.au, i.pinimg.com
