Knotgrass Leaf Beetle vs Red Milkweed Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Knotgrass Leaf Beetle Red Milkweed Beetle
Scientific Name Chrysolina hyperici Tetraopes tetrophthalmus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Cerambycidae
Size 5-7 mm 9-14 mm
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Herbivores Root Feeders
Regions Europe (native), introduced to Australia and North America Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Knotgrass Leaf Beetle

A rounded, metallic bronze to coppery-green beetle that was introduced to control St. John's wort. It has a smooth, convex body with fine punctation across the elytra.

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Did You Know?

Introduced to Australia in the 1930s, it was one of the earliest successful biological control agents used against a weed in that country.

Red Milkweed Beetle

A bright red beetle with black spots, exclusively associated with common milkweed. Its antennae bisect its compound eyes, giving it four apparent eyes.

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Did You Know?

Its scientific name means 'four eyes, four eyes,' referring to how antennae split each eye in two.