Herbivory
Guides
Timarcha
bloody-nosed beetles
Timarcha is a genus of flightless leaf beetles comprising over 100 species across three subgenera, with a disjunct distribution spanning the Mediterranean region and western North America. The genus exhibits several unusual traits for Chrysomelidae, including complete apterism (winglessness), fused elytra, and archaic genital morphology. All species are uniformly black and herbivorous, with host plant associations concentrated in Rubiaceae and Plumbaginaceae. The most familiar species is T. tenebricosa, commonly known as the bloody-nosed beetle, named for its defensive reflex bleeding behavior.
Tracheini
Tracheini is a tribe of leaf-mining jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in the subfamily Agrilinae. The tribe comprises primarily two genera: Habroloma and Trachys. These beetles are characterized by their small size and specialized larval habit of mining leaves of woody and herbaceous plants. Adults are typically found on host plant foliage. The tribe has a cosmopolitan distribution with notable diversity in Japan (32 species recorded) and South America. Two new Japanese species, Habroloma elaeocarpusi and H. taxillusi, were described in 2023, expanding known host associations to include Elaeocarpaceae and Loranthaceae.
Trirhabda virgata
goldenrod beetle, goldenrod leaf beetle
Trirhabda virgata is a leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, commonly known as the goldenrod beetle. It is native to North America and specializes on goldenrod plants (Solidago spp.) in the Asteraceae family. The species has been extensively studied for its host plant relationships, density-dependent dispersal behavior, and potential role as a keystone herbivore in old field ecosystems. Adults and larvae feed on goldenrod foliage, with larvae causing significant defoliation during outbreak conditions.