Colorado Three-lined Leaf Beetle vs Yellow-banded Eucalyptus Longhorn
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Colorado Three-lined Leaf Beetle | Yellow-banded Eucalyptus Longhorn |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lema trivittata | Phoracantha recurva |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Chrysomelidae | Cerambycidae |
| Size | 5-6 mm | 14-28 mm |
| Habitat | Heathland | Farmland |
| Diet | Herbivores | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Western North America | Australia; invasive in California, Mediterranean, South America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Colorado Three-lined Leaf Beetle
A small, elongated beetle with an orange-yellow body and three dark longitudinal stripes on the elytra. It feeds on tomatillo and ground cherry in the western United States.
Did You Know?
Like other Lema species, the larvae cover themselves in their own frass, which may serve both as camouflage and as a deterrent to parasitoids.
Yellow-banded Eucalyptus Longhorn
An Australian cerambycid similar to P. semipunctata but with more pronounced yellowish bands and recurved elytral apices. It has also become invasive worldwide in eucalyptus plantations and often outcompetes its congener.
Did You Know?
Where both Phoracantha species co-occur, P. recurva often displaces P. semipunctata through larval competition.