Insect Week - Rosemary Beetle

Insect Week - Rosemary Beetle

What it looks like:

An adult looks shiny are about 6-7mm long and the outer shell has a metallic purple and green stripes this is over the wings cases and thorax. With their larvae they are a greyish-white and darker stripes run along their bodies and when they are fully grown, they are 8mm long. And for their eggs they look like sausage-shaped and may be found at the end of branches beneath leaves.

Habitat:

With the adult beetles they can be found on plants nearly all year round and some of the plants they are found on are rosemary, lavender, sage and thyme. They like any woody, herbaceous plants and in the late summer and spring they are the highest numbers. This is because it coincides with the plant growth and the breeding so there is plenty food and shelter for eggs.

Behaviour:

A sign to know if they are in your garden is by looking out for what they do to the plant. Look out for like holes in leaves and flowers, they can be brown, dried-out plant tips. Or if you see them sitting on your plants or their eggs that can sometimes be under the branch of the plants with this the eggs are hidden from predators and are more likely to survive.

 

Share your sightings here: Add a casual record | Jersey Biodiversity Centre

 

By Katie Britton, Highlands College student 

rosemary beetle on plant
Author
Sarah Maguire