How do they look?

The body of leaf beetles is oval or rounded, with a metallic shine. The colors of these beetles are bright - green, blue, or red. They are generally 2-10 mm long.

What do they eat?

Leaf beetles feed on the leaves or roots of trees, shrubs, and plants. Adult beetles create irregularly shaped holes in leaves, while their larvae consume entire leaves, leaving only the dried veins. If there are many leaf beetles, they can cause significant damage to various crops in agriculture.

Interesting and important facts

Beetles have developed defense mechanisms against predators, mainly birds. Both adult beetles and larvae, as well as pupae, emit an unpleasant odor produced by the toxic, yellow fluid called hemolymph. In Latvia, 340 species of leaf beetles have been identified. One of the largest leaf beetles found in Latvia is large poplar leaf beetle. Slender-headed leaf beetles have an interesting appearance, with their heads seemingly retracted into their bodies. A significant pest in potato fields is the Colorado potato beetle. Originally from the Americas, specifically the Colorado mountains, it has made its way to Latvia likely through the transportation of potatoes.

Information sources: https://www.latvijasdaba.lv, Wikipedia, Kreslina L. ‘Insects in Latvia’

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